In a crackdown on fraudulent activities, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) in Manila arrested six individuals involved in the production and distribution of counterfeit Persons with Disabilities (PWD) identification cards. The operation was spurred by complaints from business organizations, including the Restaurant Owners of the Philippines (Resto PH), who reported an increase in the use of fake PWD IDs to obtain discounts.
Brig. Gen. Anthony Aberin, the NCRPO chief, emphasized the police force’s commitment to combating such deceitful practices. The arrests were made in two separate operations. The first, conducted by the Manila Police District along Quezon Boulevard in Santa Cruz, resulted in the apprehension of three suspects known as ‘Dogdog,’ 49; ‘Tess,’ 34; and ‘MJ,’ 31. The second operation, executed by the NCRPO Regional Special Operations Group in Quiapo, led to the arrest of ‘Aileen,’ 45; ‘Jonathan,’ 39; and ‘John,’ 29.
During these raids, the police seized various items used in the production of the fake IDs, including a computer set, a laptop, printers, a rubber stamp, nine gold seals, vellum paper, a cutter, and a metal ruler. Additionally, unfinished fake PWD IDs, other suspected forged documents, and a variety of counterfeit public and private documents were recovered.
The suspects now face charges of falsification of public documents, as well as manufacturing and possession of instruments used for falsification, to be filed at the Manila Office of the City Prosecutor. Aberin commended the teams involved in the operations and vowed to continue aggressive actions against such scams, ensuring robust legal cases are built to secure convictions.