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Phil. gov’t pledges help to citizens in fake dollar raps
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Posted on Mar 12 2001
The Philippine government is looking into all legal avenues to assist the six Filipinos who were indicted last week before the US Court for counterfeiting, Consul General Julia Heidemann said.
In an interview, Ms. Heidemann said the Consulate General has already tapped the assistance of its battery of lawyers to carefully study the case and exhaust all efforts to help the six Filipinos, who all claimed to have fallen prey to an illegal recruiter in Manila.
Ms. Heidemann added that lawyers were already asked to carefully study the case and come up with legal evaluation on how to assist the six Filipinos.
“The lawyers are discussing the problem right now and we will do everything to help them,” Ms. Heidemann said.
Six Filipinos are now facing a maximum of 15-year jail term and a $250,000 fine each if found guilty of uttering counterfeit obligation and securities by the federal court.
Agents from the US Secret Service, in partnership with authorities from the CNMI Department of Public Safety, and of Labor and Immigration, are continuously digging deeper into the case.
Up until this point, however, the defendants are merely facing accusations and are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty, according to a statement issued by the US Attorney.
The charges were filed before the US Court against the six Filipinos more than a month after their arrest at the Saipan International Airport Jan. 24 for allegedly presenting fake $100 bills to CNMI immigration officers.
Previous reports claimed the six defendants were in possession of $5,000 worth of counterfeit dollar bills when they arrived from Manila.
All are facing charges of illegally possessing the counterfeit currency and bringing the counterfeit bills into the United States with the intent to defraud before the CNMI Superior Court.
Superior Court Associate Judge Timothy H. Bellas originally declared there was probable cause to try the Filipino illegal recruitment victims for allegedly counterfeiting $5,000 worth of 100-dollar bills discovered in their possession. (EGA)
