Las pi±as: Two former Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) workers were arrested for allegedly selling fake money online in Las Pi±as City, the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP ACG) said on Friday.
According to Philippines News Agency, PNP ACG Director Brig. Gen. Bernard Yang stated in a press conference held at Camp Crame in Quezon City that the suspects, identified as alias 'Usa,' 18, from Cotabato City, and 'Agila,' 30, from Zamboanga Del Sur, were apprehended by the Northern District Anti-Cybercrime Team. The operation was coordinated with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and took place in Barangay Manuyo Dos on Wednesday.
Yang confirmed that the suspects were former employees of POGO, specifically drivers. They resorted to selling fake money after the shutdown of POGO operations. The suspects mainly operated in Metro Manila.
In November of the previous year, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. issued Executive Order 74, which mandated the immediate cessation of Philippine offshore gaming and other related operations.
The entrapment operation was initiated following a BSP report about the widespread online sale of counterfeit currency. The Northern District Anti-Cybercrime Team intensified cyber patrolling and discovered a social media post by one suspect attempting to sell a counterfeit PHP1,000 bill for PHP150.
During the operation, 150 counterfeit thousand-peso bills were seized from the suspects, who were selling them for a total of PHP22,500. Mark Fajardo, an officer from the BSP Payments and Currency Investigation Group, highlighted at the press conference that multiple online groups were involved in selling counterfeit money, prompting their report to the ACG.
Fajardo commented on the poor quality of the counterfeit money, noting that the watermarks were more apparent and the security thread was merely printed, indicating a lack of expertise by the criminals.
Yang mentioned that investigations are ongoing to identify the source of the counterfeit banknotes, with authorities suspecting involvement of a larger network.
The suspects are currently detained at the ACG custodial facility and will face charges under Article 168 (Illegal Possession and Use of False Treasury or Bank Notes and Other Instruments of Credit) in relation to Section 6 of Republic Act 10175, also known as the Cybercrime Prevention Act.
Yang emphasized that the operation is in line with PNP Chief Gen. Nicolas Torre III's directive to enhance cyber patrolling and take swift action against cybercriminals exploiting social media. He warned that the sale of counterfeit currency online undermines the financial system and exploits the trust of citizens, committing to actively monitoring platforms and bringing offenders to justice.
