Public warned anew over spread of fake P200 bills
Samle of fake 200 peso bill
An undetermined number of fake P200 bills are feared to have spread throughout Iloilo following the discovery by at least two banks in the city.
First to have fallen victim was a Filipino-Chinese trader who was informed by his local bank of the fake bills included in his day's collection up for deposit.
The incident was followed by another businesswoman with the same fate from yet another bank, both victimized by unknown suspects with the bogus P200 bills.
In an interview, the victims who requested anonymity told The News Today (TNT) that the most they can now do is to warn other traders, vendors and businessmen. It is highly possible, the duo in separate interviews shared, that a lot more have been victimized with an increasing spread of P200 bills here.
The fake P200 money is easily negotiated, the trader added, and does not raise special attention unlike the P500 and P1000 bills.
There is also no clear advisory on how to spot a bogus P200, the other victim pointed out.
To recall, city police acted on the resurgence of fake bills here early this year.
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) in a public advisory has since warned against such with the proliferation particularly of fake P500 confirmed in as far as Baguio and Ilocos region.
Among the recovered fake P500 in Iloilo City showed the phrase "Faith in God and faith in our people" just under the Philippine flag and above the signature of President Arroyo.
The wordings of a genuine P500 note though, the BSP said, should be "Faith in our people and faith in God." "Faith in our people" should be first before "faith in God." Proliferation was reported back in November and December last year.
It was in March when a fake P500 was recovered from a vagrant along Bonifacio Drive.
Authorities then identified the suspect as a 45 year old resident of Barangay Simon Ledesma, Jaro district and was immediately detained at Police Precinct 1 lock-up cell.
City cops later recovered more fake money reaching to 43 pieces in the P1000, P500 and P200 denominations.
TNT learned that buying and selling price of the bogus money are as follow - fake P1,000 bill at P500; fake P500 at P250; and fake P200 at P140.
The fake money then seized had similar serial numbers, all believed to have originated from Cebu City.
It was also in February when three persons were arrested in Balasan, Iloilo with bogus bills. Authorities here identified the trio as Mario Flores of Jereos Street, La Paz, Iloilo City, Noraida Nunagan of Majarlica compound, Taguig, Metro, Manila and Asia Lumabon of Cubao, Quezon City.
The suspects were arrested inside the public market with 56 pieces of fake P200 bills and P3,000 cash.