Bacolod City-Due to personal gain, three persons are facing charges of violation of Republic Act 11332, or falsification of public documents following their arrest in an entrapment joint operation of the local government unit and members of the law enforcement teams.
The operation was led by City Health Office (CHO) officer-in-charge Edwin Miraflor and Major Ramel Sarona, station commander of Police Station 1 together with the Regional Intelligence Unit -Region 6 and the Emergency Operations Center(EOC).
At about 5:20 p.m. on Jan.17, at La Purisima Building, in Barangay 24, in this city apprehended the suspects Loresa Funelas ,45, of this city’s Barangay Bata; Maribeth Joros, 44; and his son Ivan Joros, 18; both of Barangay Villamonte, here.
A blotter report reads, that Ivan handed to a police officer, a counterfeit coronavirus disease-2019(COVID-19) Vaccination Card in exchange for P1,000.
While several counterfeit COVID-19 Vaccination cards were also recovered from the possession of Funelas and some counterfeit COVID-19 vaccination cards and vaccination certificates were confiscated from Maribeth, the blotter said.
Doctor Chris Sorongon, deputy for medical and data analysis of the EOC said charges were filed against the suspects at the City Prosecutor’s Office yesterday, Jan. 18.
They were apprehended after the EOC received complaints that several vaccination cards and vaccination certificates were being reproduced at the said area in exchange for money.
Sorongon said that Mayor Evelio Leonardia has directed the Management Information Technology and Computer Services( MITCS ) to intensify the production of Bakuna Card so that the Vaccination Cards are given to the vaccinees after they are vaccinated at the Vaccination Centers will be changed.
He explained that the Bakuna Cards can no longer be faked because it has a QR code.
Sorongon warned those persons, who are planning to do the same such illegal activity to stop it because they will face charges not only the one producing it but also the clients once apprehended.
He encouraged everyone to get vaccinated because the COVID-19 vaccines are for free./PN
