BACOLOD City – The Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) has initiated a detailed investigation into reports of national identification cards (IDs) being purchased in the city.
According to BCPO, a woman of Chinese descent was detained for questioning at Police Station 4 last week after a local resident lodged a complaint with Estefania Punong Barangay Jerry Tingson.
The complainant alleged that the woman had been buying national IDs from several residents of the barangay for P400 each and also took photographs of the ID owners.
However, the woman was released when initial questioning did not reveal any legal violations.
“After extensive questioning, she was allowed to go home as there was no formal complaint filed against her, and no immediate legal infractions were detected,””said Colonel Joeserty Coronica, officer-in-charge of the BCPO.
Despite her release, the investigation is set to deepen. Coronica expressed concerns about the intended use of the acquired IDs, particularly their association with financial services like GCash.
“We need to understand the purpose behind these actions and the implications they may hold,” he said.
Coronica also highlighted the potential for broader security threats, linking the issue to national security concerns such as those posed in the West Philippine Sea.
“We cannot ignore the potential threats to our national security,” he cautioned, urging the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities.
The BCPO has directed its intelligence personnel to track down individuals who sold their IDs to the woman to verify the validity of the gathered information and assess potential threats./PN
