A motorist presents his vaccination card to a policeman at a checkpoint in Quezon City. INQUIRER file photo / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE
MANILA, Philippines — Authorities arrested a graphic artist in Pasay City for selling forged COVID-19 vaccination cards he fabricated for his clients.
Southern Police District (SPD) director Brig. Gen. Jimili Macaraeg identified the suspect as Marcelo Cabansag, 28, who was caught in an entrapment operation at P. Arnaiz Avenue, Libertad, in Pasay’s Barangay 94, around 5:30 p.m. of Tuesday.
During his arrest, the suspect failed to show authorization on the production of Pasay City vaccination cards.
SPD said the entrapment operation was launched after receiving information pointing to Cabansag as responsible for falsifying COVID-19 vaccination cards through editing, reproduction, and printing, and then selling them to unvaccinated individuals.
Police retrieved evidence from the suspect, including the P100 bill used as marked money, six alleged falsified COVID-19 vaccination cards, a Dell computer monitor, a Lenovo CPU, a keyboard and mouse, two printers, a laminator machine, and other equipment used to fabricate fake COVID cards.
The pieces of evidence were believed to be used in the creation of fake vaccination cards.
Macaraeg thanked the public for reporting such activities, which helped the police perform its duties.
“Ako ay nagpapasalamat sa ating mga kababayan sa inyong walang sawang suporta at pagbibigay ng impormasyon sa inyong kapulisan, muli ‘wag po kayong magdalawang isip na ipagbigay alam sa amin kung mayroon kayong namataan na hindi kanais nais at krimen sa inyong lugar, sa ating pagtutulungan tiyak na mapapanatili natin ang katahimikan sa ating nasasakupan,” he said.
(I am thankful to our fellow citizens for your endless support and for informing the authorities. Do not hesitate to inform us if you know of any misconduct in your area. With cooperation, we can ensure the safety and tranquility of our people.)
In December, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Region 10 office warned people trying to falsify vaccine cards that such acts are punishable under the Revised Penal Code and the Republic Act No. 11332 or the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases Law.
“Persons captured faking, tampering, or using forged vaccination cards shall face penalties which include a P20,000 to P50,000 fine or imprisonment of one to six months, or both,” DILG said in the statement. With a report from Jericho Zafra, INQUIRER.net trainee
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