Four people have been caught and charged by a joint Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) team for counterfeiting Philippine banknotes.
The suspects were caught in Pampanga and Tarlac on 19 January 2022 in possession of a total 161 counterfeit currency banknotes and 78 fake foreign banknotes. Everyone was charged with violating Article 168 in relation to Article 166 of the Revised Penal Code, as amended.
Counterfeiters of Philippine currency may be subject to imprisonment of up to 20 years and a fine not exceeding 2 million pesos under Republic Act No. 10951.
The central bank, together with law enforcement agencies, such as the NBI, has been actively conducting joint anti-counterfeiting operations.
The BSP advises the public to report any information on currency counterfeiting to the nearest police station or law enforcement agency, or contact the BSP Currency Investigation Group (PCIG) through telephone numbers (02) 8988-4833 and (02) 8926-5092, or via email at pcig@gov.ph.
