FIVE persons who falsified documents were arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in an entrapment operation along the Cottage Road in Bacolod City on October 25.
They were identified as couple Ma. Concepcion Longno and Ronnie Longno of Barangay Montevista, Eden Gamboa of Barangay 9, Sherilyn Flores of Barangay Banago, and Genefredo Gemina of Barangay 2, all in Bacolod.
NBI-Bacolod head Renoir Baldovino said the suspects were charged for falsification of documents and usurpation of authority or official before the City Prosecutor’s Office Thursday.
The five suspects were arrested after they were caught in the act by an operative who paid them marked money.
During the entrapment, they forged the signatures of notaries public – lawyers Mariano Natu-el and Leonardo Cabalfin – in notarizing affidavits.
Baldovino said Natu-el and Cabalfin are real lawyers as confirmed by the Office of the Bar Confidant in the Supreme Court.
The suspects have a stall with the signage Travellers Insurance and use a blue Hyundai Starex van and green Suzuki multi-cab minivan parked along the Cottage Road in holding their “illegal transactions,” he added.
Baldovino said the five suspects could not present evidence that they are lawyers or have the legal authority to perform notarial acts.
Seized from the suspects were notarial dry seals, typewriters, laptop, rubber stamps, stamp pads, and various notarized documents.
On September 26, Bacolod City Regional Trial Court Branch 52 Judge Raymond Joseph Javier sent a letter to the NBI, asking for assistance to conduct covert operations and investigation in the area near the Hall of Justice for possible violations of Notarial Practice Act.
Baldovino said the judge requested for investigation because of the reports that these persons are “involved in illegal activities and doing unlawful acts.”