By CYRUS M. GARDE
BACOLOD City — A Polish man allegedly spreading counterfeit bills in Candoni town was cornered in Ilog during a police hot pursuit.
Wojciech Taolniak Stolarskijan, 32, was allegedly making rounds in Candoni, buying items from grocery stores using various peso bills with similar serial numbers.
“He would use P1,000 bills when buying in big stores and P500 and P200 bills for small ones,” said Insp. Junie Liba, Candoni police chief.
A concerned resident tipped the police off about a motorcycle-riding Polish man roaming around town and buying grocery items using fake bills.
Police on Wednesday evening went to a store where the suspect reportedly entered but found that the suspect was leaving.
Onboard their motorcycles and patrol cars, the police chased the suspect and, at about 9 p.m., caught up with him in Barangay Dancalan, Ilog.
Seized from Stolarskijan were a bundle of peso bills in different denominations amounting to P25,000 — 56 pieces of P200, 15 pieces of P500, and 12 pieces of P1,000 — grocery items, and a motorcycle registered under the name of his girlfriend, Phebes Ledesma of Danao City.
Stolarskijan of Lubin City, Poland, is currently staying in Barangay West, Candoni, only to spread fake bills, said the police. He frequents Cebu City, where his girlfriend stays.
Detained in the Candoni police station, Stolarskijan is facing charges for illegal possession of false treasury or banknotes./PN
