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A store proprietor of a shopping mall here, prevented what could be the spread of over P47,000 fake peso bills here, after detecting a one thousand peso bill handed to her by a customer as payment for clothes.
The store owner, identified by police as Mrs. Benny Beltran, owner of Jovie’s Dry Goods, Stall no. 37, located at the Old Shopping Mall, called the attention of the Civil Security Unit of the Mall, immediately after detection.
Police arrested suspect, Bonifacio Casuar, 37, single and resident of Block 59. Lot 7, Area B, Sapang Palay, Bulacan. His cohort, Cherry Aquino, 35, single and resident of Block 62, Lot 23, Area B, Sapang Palay, Bulacan, was arrested later.
Police later confiscated three more pieces of one thousand peso bills and three pieces of two-hundred peso bills, in his possession, immediately after his arrest.
They were also able to recover two more pieces of one thousand peso bills from Aquino, however, three more alleged members of the group eluded arrests.
The group’s service jeep, bearing plate number TJV 223, which was also believed fake, was also taken. It was later found that it was loaded with various goods, including frozen foods, grocery items, rice and relishes, which police theorized, are proceeds of their illegal activity. They also found eleven pieces more of one thousand peso bills and eleven more two-hundred bills, hidden inside the goods.
Store owners, Teresita Sandoval, and Eufracio Coronel, also victims of the group, positively identified Aquino as heir past customer, who allegedly paid a fake one thousand peso bill.
City Mayor Pablo Ortega, immediately alerted residents to help prevent the proliferation of fake peso bills as he assured no bails should be given to the suspects. He also warned criminals against doing their activities in the city and in La Union. |
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