THE National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) 7 will file a case against a courier service employee for allegedly stealing a check issued to a Bureau of Customs (BOC) official and cashing it using a fake identification card bearing the victim’s name.
Vicente Tuling Jr., an employee of Pro Mark Service, allegedly stole the check worth P3,966.40 issued to BOC legal chief Rico Rey Francis Holganza.
Tuling will be charged on Monday before the Office of the Cebu City Prosecutor with estafa through falsification (violations under the Revised Penal Code) and violation of Republic Act (RA) 6085 (regulation of aliases).
Supervising agent Rennan Oliva said their investigation revealed that the check was sent to Holganza by a bank last April 3.
The following month, Tuling approached Serefely Benito Soria and asked him to cash the check.
Soria said Tuling allegedly identified himself as Holganza.
He examined the check brought by Tuling, who later wrote his name and address. The suspect also signed the check.
Soria then took a picture of the fake identification card, noted the bank’s name, check number and its value before cashing it.
He deposited the check in a different bank in Barangay Banilad, Cebu City last May 6.
Last May 8, the bank returned the check to him because the payment had been stopped.
A week later, Holganza asked Soria if the latter had his check cashed.
Soria nodded and was surprised to learn that Tuling just pretended to be Holganza.
Oliva summoned Tuling to clear his name, but the latter did not show up at the NBI office.