A PRIVATE security officer suspected of manufacturing and selling “fake” security guards’ licenses in Metro Manila was arrested by agents of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in an entrapment operation outside Camp Crame on Wednesday afternoon, PNP Civil Security Group (PNP-CSG) Director Brigadier General Benjamin H. Silo Jr. said yesterday.

The suspect was placed under arrest shortly after he delivered a fake “License to Exercise Security Profession” or LESP to a poseur-applicant right at the residence of the latter along 2nd Avenue in Barangay Bagong Lipunan, Quezon City 1 p.m. Wednesday, the official said.

Recovered from the suspect were a “counterfeit” Security Guard LESP and a Security Officer LESP.

Silo said that members of the PNP Supervisory Office for Security and Investigation Agencies (PNP-SOSIA) under Brig. Gen. Leumar U. Abugan launched the sting amid complaints that the accused is involved in the manufacture and sale of counterfeit LESPs.

On Wednesday afternoon, undercover officers from the PNP-SOSIA and the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) conducted the entrapment operation, which led to the arrest of the accused.

Silo said two other security guards identified the suspect as the one who processed their LESPs which turned out to be fake ones, during a record verification at the SOSIA Security Licensing Division. The complainants said that the suspect allegedly demanded a “considerable” amount of money from them in exchange for the easy release of their licenses.

The suspect was placed under the custody of the CIDG-NCR pending the filing of criminal charges for falsification of public documents against him before a QC Prosecutor’s Office.

Silo has ordered a crackdown on persons involved in the manufacture of fake gun papers and security guard licenses in the country. Two weeks ago, the PNP-CSG also arrested two men in Sta. Cruz, Manila for engaging in the highly-fraudulent production of fake License to Own and Possess Firearms or LTOFP and Firearms Registration Card as well as security guard licenses, the PNP-CSG director reported to PNP chief, General Rodolfo S. Azurin Jr.

According to the official, undercover officers from the PNP Firearms and Explosives Office (PNP-FEO) under Colonel Paul Kenneth T. Lucas, in coordination with the Manila Police District (MPD) Police Station 3, conducted the entrapment operation in Quezon Boulevard, Sta. Cruz, Manila which led to the arrest of two suspects.

Silo said that PNP-FEO officers recovered a computer set with a printer, two printed copies of fake LESPs, and a marked P500 bill during the operation.

According to the official, he ordered the conduct of the entrapment operation amid complaints regarding the proliferation of fake LTOFP and other gun papers as well as security guard licenses which are being sold to interested buyers in Metro Manila and other parts of the country.

Silo warned holders of these fake documents that they will be facing criminal charges that will send them to jail once they are arrested. “I am calling on the public, specifically gun holders and security guards, not to deal with this kind of people. I am calling on all concerned citizens not to deal with anybody offering them the easy facilitation of their gun papers and security guard licenses for a fee, even without showing up at our offices and without producing all requirements we need,” the official said.

The PNP-CSG director said that he has ordered the PNP-FEO and the PNP-SOSIA to closely scrutinize the papers of their applicants and those renewing their papers and go after those who will be found to have fake documents in their possession.

The two suspects are now facing criminal charges for violation of Article 172 of the Revised Penal Code, otherwise known as falsification by private individual and use of falsified documents. With Christian Supnad

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Alfred P. Dalizon