PSG man linked to ATM scheme released on bail

The Presidential Security Group (PSG) officer who was sacked by his unit after he was caught with several ATM automated teller machine cards and a scanning device has been freed on bail.

Lt. Senior Grade Raphael Malacay Marcial, a Navy officer and member of the Philippine Military Academy’s Class of 2008, was released after he posted bail of P20,000 in the Makati Regional Trial Court before 5 p.m. on Tuesday.

Earlier, the officer was charged with violating Republic Act 8484 or the Access Devices Regulation Act of 1998 in the Makati Prosecutor’s Office. The case, however, has yet to be raffled off.

Marcial was arrested by a police team on Feb. 21 as he was attempting to withdraw money from an ATM of EastWest Bank on Chino Roces Avenue Extension in Makati.

When frisked by security guards and policemen, he yielded nine ATM cards under different names, several blank cards and a scanning device believed to be used to extract data from other ATM cards.

Makati police chief Senior Supt. Manuel Lukban said that they have yet to determine how much money Marcial had managed to get from other people’s accounts using cloned ATM cards.

“We are coordinating with different banks about this. They are likewise taking measures  to prevent this kind of modus operandi,” he added as he noted that since 2012, the majority of banks have been aware of the illegal activity.