Nineteen persons suspected of engaging in illegal notarization of documents have been arrested in Quezon City, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said on Friday, Oct. 25.
The NBI said that the suspects were arrested last Oct. 22 during a raid by operatives of the bureau's Special Task Force (NBI-STF) at the EDSA C. Plaza located at 1105 Congressional Avenue in Bago Bantay, Quezon City.
It said the “NBI-STF operatives conducted a simultaneous entrapment operation, which resulted in the arrest of the individuals in the act of performing notarial acts.”
Arrested were Sherryl L. Bonifacio and Uldarico C. Francisco who were charged with falsification and use of falsified documents as well as usurpation of authority under Article 172 and 177, respectively, of the Revised Penal Code (RPC); Chirester H. Cancino, Acuna Lou T. Anna, and Ellaine Lucena for estafa under Article 315 of the RPC as well as for Article 172 and 177 of the RPC; and Chester Adrian Layacan, Violeta M. Oraa, Jocelyn B. Concepcion; Thelma C. Concepcion, Ma. Cholina M. Torino, Elma P. Luod, Virginia A. Concepcion, Eduardo DG Concepcion, Violeta. C Fronda, Val Justine C. Laxamana, Chona M. Concepcion, Marites C. Longcop; Christopher DG Cancino, and Marie Antonette G. Miranda for violation of Article 31 of the RPC.
The NBI said “the operation stemmed from the complaint filed by the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) against suspected illegal notaries public operating within Quezon City, specifically numerous stalls at EDSA C. Plaza, 1105 Congressional Avenue, Bago Bantay, Quezon City.
“The said notary public stalls were allegedly being utilized by non-lawyer individuals, performing notarial acts,” it explained.
Under the rules, notarization of documents is done by a lawyer who is commissioned by the Supreme Court (SC) to be a notary public.