CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – A woman has been arrested for selling fake coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination cards in Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon, police authorities said on Saturday, Feb 5.
Bukidnon Police Provincial Office (BukPPO) spokesperson Capt. Jiselle Longakit said suspect Sharlyn Abdul, 20, was arrested selling two fake vaccination cards worth P700 to undercover cops during an entrapment in Mulberry, Barangay Tankulan on Friday.
The Municipal Health Office (MHO) headed by Katrina Tilap, a public health nurse, and Barangay Tankulan Kagawad Allan Imprugo were also present during the operation.
In a phone interview, Maj. Carlito Chua Jr., Manolo Fortich police chief, said they started surveillance on January 25 after an MHO personnel reported to the police the possible selling of fake vaccination cards.
Chua said a concerned citizen from Barangay Dalirig presented the fake vaccination card to a vaccinator from the MHO.
"The vaccinator reported the incident to us because she identified that the vaccination card presented to her by the person she knows is fake. After that, we immediately started our surveillance monitoring," Chua said.
He said the subject person of the operation is Salmina Musa, the suspect's older sister. However, during the operation, Abdul was the one who did the transaction.
"Our target, based on our surveillance monitoring, is Salmina Musa, who is the owner of 'ukay-ukay' (used clothes) store (place of the entrapment). During the operation, the suspect did the transaction by asking the name, getting the fake vaccination cards, and getting the marked money," he said.
He said the investigation is still ongoing to identify the printing area where these fake vaccination cards were made.