The Bacolod Police yesterday nabbed a 32-year-old Bacoleño for allegedly producing counterfeit bills in Brgy. Sum-ag, Bacolod City at about 5:30 p.m. Sunday.

Ronie Boy Esnaldo of Purok Kapawa, Brgy. Sum-ag, was apprehended in his residence and recovered from him were paraphernalia that included a calculating checking machine with magnet indicator, bottle and tubes of paste, assorted pencil and pen, toothpicks, lampshade, paint brushes and fake P500, P200, P100 and P50 bills amounting to about P5,050 based on police reports.

The arrest was made through the joint efforts of Police Precinct 9 commander Insp. Adonis Rosales, Police Precinct 2 commander Insp. Levy Pangue and Police Precinct 10 operatives led by Insp. Augusto Buenaventura. Rosales said a storeowner in Brgy. Sum-ag, whose name is being withheld by the police, informed him that Arnold Serenio alias "Toto" bought cigarets from her store worth P30. But because the woman doubted the authenticity of the P500 bill he paid, she asked for help from Pangue who was buying something from her store at the time.

Rosales said Pangue arrested Serenio and endorsed him to Police precinct 10 where he pinpointed Esnaldo as the one who gave him the fake bill.

Bacolod Police director Pedro Merced said this is the third time the police has recovered fake bills. The money they recovered from Esnaldo will be surrendered to the Central Bank. He said charges for violation of Republic Act 166 and 168, which involves the forging and passing on of fake bills, will be filed against Esnaldo.

Merced also warned the public against fake bills and asked them to counter-check the money they receive. He said the letters and serial numbers found on fake bills have different sizes and its ink could be easily erased compared to the original bill.

Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia congratulated the police for a job well done, saying that the apprehension of Esnaldo shows that the intelligence network of the police is working.

"May the apprehension of the suspect serve as a reminder to everyone that illegal activities will not be tolerated in this city especially because matters like these affect our economy," he said.

Leonardia said he believes that businessmen should adopt an internal personnel training program with the Central Bank and other concerned agencies on how to detect counterfeit bills and the training should be done on a regular basis.*CGS/DMG

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