TWO men were arrested last Monday night for allegedly producing and spreading fake bills in Cebu City.
City Intelligence Branch (CIB) Chief Romeo Santander identified the suspects as Dexter Ledesma and Dante Marticio.
Santander said that the suspects, both 42, victimized taxi drivers.
"The suspects operate mostly at night so the drivers cannot notice the fake bills," said Santander in Cebuano, "We received complaints as early as February this year."
Santander feared that the fake bills would be used in vote-buying in next year's elections.
Taxi driver Eric Pedrosa, 31, alleged that Ledesma gave him a fake P1,000-bill to pay for his P155-fare from Barangay Talamban to Lorega San Miguel.
Ledesma allegedly only asked for P800 as change, instead of P845.
"Paghuman niya'g dawat sa sukli, nidiretso dayon siya'g gawas. Akong gitan-aw og maayo ang kwarta ug nakaingon kong peke kay luspad man (After he received the change, he immediately got out of the taxi. When I checked the bill, I noticed it was pale)," said Pedrosa, an driver of Scorpion Taxi.
He chased the man and found him in an alley in Lorega San Miguel.
A tanod followed and brought the suspect to the barangay hall.
When the incident was reported to the CIB, Santander said they interviewed Ledesma, who divulged that he bought the fake bills from Marticio.
CIB operatives caught Marticio in his house on D. Jakosalem St.
Seized from the Marticio were 54 pieces of fake P200, P500, and P1,000 bills.
Santander said that a P200-bill can be bought at P50; P500-bill at P150; and P1,000 at P200.
The suspects will be charged with a violation of Republic Act 8484 or the Access Devices Regulation Act of 1998.