Police warn about fake bills in Boracay

Iloilo City — Police have raised an alert about a criminal group using fake peso bills after nine alleged gang members were arrested in a series of operations in Boracay and Caticlan over the weekend.

The nine suspects, mostly from Iloilo and Negros Occidental, were arrested in three operations by the Boracay and Malay police from the evening of March 16 until the next morning.

All the suspects were detained at the Malay police station and would face various criminal charges including violation of Articles 164 (Mutilation of Coins) and 168 (Possession of Fake/Counterfeit Money) of the Revised Penal Code.

Senior Supt. Cornelio Defensor, Aklan police director said seized from the suspects were “around P92,000 in fake and genuine money.”

The peso bills will be examined by Central Bank representatives to determine which are fake and genuine. Several of the confiscated peso bills had the same serial numbers, according to the police report.

The Central Bank representatives would also file charges against the suspects, Defensor said.

Three other members of the group were believed to have eluded arrest and were being hunted.

Defensor said charges would be filed against the suspects with the Aklan provincial prosecutor’s office Tuesday.

He said the suspects were believed to be part of a syndicate operating in Western Visayas and Mindoro and Romblon Islands.

Investigators were still determining the source and manufacturer of the fake peso bills.

He said the group members, who arrived in Boracay on March 16, could be anticipating the influx of tourists on the island for the summer vacation.  /INQUIRER