BSP raps man who burned P20-bill in viral video

FILE PHOTO Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. (Philippine Daily Inquirer)

MANILA, Philippines — The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has filed a complaint against a man who burned a P20-bill in a video that went viral on social media.

In an interview over GMA’s 24 Oras on Wednesday, the BSP said the burning of banknotes is a violation of Presidential Decree No. 247, which prohibits the defacing, mutilating, tearing, or partially burning or destroying our currency.

Under the law, violators are fined not more than P20,000 or imprisoned for not more than five years.

Aside from likely violation of P.D. No. 247, the BSP said it also sued the man for possible violations of Article 154 of the Revised Penal Code against unlawful utterances and the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2022.

“’Yung corresponding bank note and then ‘yung coin ay pagmamay-ari ng Republika ng Pilipinas.Naka-receive siya ng maraming backlash from the public, pi-null-out niya agad,” said Atty. Mark Fajardo, Senior Investigation Officer of BSP.

(The corresponding banknote and then the coin belong to the Republic of the Philippines. He received a lot of backlash from the public, which is why he pulled out immediately.)

Dickenson Gamalo of BSP-Quezon City, meanwhile, explained that the individual behind the video was identified by pinpointing his location, whereabouts, and where he lives.

“Kahit sa social media maaari tayong makapag-commit ng mga ganitong violations. Wala po kayong takas,” Gamalo said.

(Even on social media we can commit such violations. You have no escape.)

The controversial video of the man burning the P20-bill to light up a bottle of liquor went viral on TikTok.

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