Agents arrest group selling fake dollars in Quezon City

Agents arrested a retired Army sergeant, a pastor, and at least two other members of a syndicate selling fake dollar bills after a sting operation was conducted in Quezon City over the weekend. The four were caught selling $153,456 (P7.128 million) in Cubao in Quezon City, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said. Arrested were Orlando Tactaquin, 50, a retired Master Sergeant of the Philippine Army and a resident of Nueva Ecija; Sergio Serion, 59, a pastor from Quezon City; Vicente Resurreccion, 63; and Evelyn Jimenez, 49, a real estate broker. The NBI Office of Intelligence Services under lawyer Ruel Lasala conducted the sting operation after receiving information about a group selling fake dollar bills. Lasala's unit said the tip indicated the group even produced counterfeit currency bills, and sold its "products" at the Farmer's Market in Quezon City. With the help of an NBI informant, the agents arranged to buy P840,000 worth of counterfeit US dollar bills. NBI agents pounced on the suspects during the payoff. The suspects now face charges of illegal possession and use of false treasury or bank notes and other instruments of credit before the Quezon City Prosecutor's Office. - RJAB Jr., GMANews.TV