By Eduard M. Casulla
CAMP GEN. SIMEON A. OLA, Legazpi City, Aug. 30 (PNA) — An “ukay-ukay” (second hand items) trader busted a 33-year-old man believed to have been circulating fake money after receiving from him a bogus Php1,000 bill Saturday morning at his store on Ojeda St., Barangay Sta. Cruz, Naga City.
A police report identified the suspect as Marvin Uriza, married and resident of Ilangan Ganga, Majayjay, Laguna.
Victim-businessman Anthony Arcilla, 38, and owner of Arcilla Ukay-Ukay, said Uriza came at about 11:30 a.m. and bought several items from his store.
Arcilla said that after choosing several goods from his store, Uriza paid him a Php1,000 bill with serial number E065110 in payment for his purchases.
But when Arcilla examined the peso bill, he found it to be fake so he collared the suspect and brought him to the police station.
At the police station, its personnel found fake 22 pieces of Php1,000 and 13 pieces of fake Ph 500.
The police believe Uriza had already paid not only a few fake peso bills in various denominations to unsuspecting businessmen in the city.
Uriza is now in jail for violation of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Circular No. 61 Series of 1995 as amended by Circular No. 829 Series of 2014 Section 8.
The police have already brought the fake peso bills to the BSP for proper investigation of the case.
They have appealed to the public to be extra careful about fake peso bills that are circulating, especially that election time is nearing. (PNA)