OPERATIVES of the PNP’s Anti-Cybercrime Group have arrested three individuals in separate operations, including a teenager, for allegedly selling counterfeit government identification cards in Quezon City and Zamboanga City.
One of the suspects, alias Marie, 19, was apprehended last February 5 in Novaliches, Quezon City, the ACG said in a statement yesterday.
Marie was caught selling PhilHealth and Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) identification cards during an entrapment operation. The ACG said it learned of the suspect’s illegal activities through “intensified cyber patrolling.”
Seized from her were five PhilHealth and BIR identification cards which were being sold for P180 to P480 each.
In Zamboanga City, two other suspects identified as Chan and Nica were arrested last February 9 for a similar activity in Barangay Cawa-Cawa.
They were also arrested during an entrapment operation and yielded multiple fake government identification cards being sold for P400 to P600 each, the ACG said.
The police unit said one of the suspects admitted during questioning that they have completed about 20 transactions.
“These IDs can be used to register SIM cards and facilitate fraudulent activities,” said acting ACG director Brig. Gen. Bernard Yang.
Yang urged the public to remain vigilant against such cybercrimes and urged them to report these to authorities.
“We encourage the public to report any cyber-related crimes to our offices nationwide so we can act promptly and create a safer cyber environment,” said Yang.
