The central bank warned the public that reproducing local currency carries prison sentences of up to 10 years, moving to protect the integrity of the peso after a legal debate during Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial triggered a wave of viral counterfeiting memes.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said in a statement on Saturday, July 11, that printing, photocopying, or distributing any physical or digital facsimile of the Philippine peso without prior official approval is strictly prohibited.

The monetary authority issued the reminder after social media users misapplied a courtroom evidentiary rule to physical currency, jokingly suggesting that photocopied banknotes could function as legal tender.

Under BSP Circular No. 829, Series of 2014, individuals or entities found violating currency reproduction guidelines face severe legal repercussions. Convicted offenders face a mandatory prison sentence of no less than five years, with maximum penalties extending to a decade.

The central bank noted that the regulation applies uniformly to all replications, whether they are produced in color, black and white, or any combination of tones.

The online trend began during the Senate impeachment trial of Vice President Duterte. During the proceedings, prosecution counsel Amando Ligutan argued against defense objections regarding the admissibility of photocopied documents, noting that under the Supreme Court’s Revised Rules on Evidence, accurate photographic duplicates and electronic printouts are legally admissible to the same extent as an original document.

Social media users quickly stripped the statement of its legal context. Viral posts across platforms misapplied the courtroom rule to physical currency, jokingly suggesting that because a “photocopy is considered original,” photocopied banknotes could now be spent.

According to the BSP, authorization to reproduce banknote designs is granted only under specific, exceptional circumstances. These exemptions are typically limited to educational, historical, or numismatic purposes that actively contribute to the promotion and preservation of the currency's integrity.

Even in those approved instances, any reproduction remains strictly subject to the technical conditions and dimensions prescribed under the 2014 circular to ensure the copies cannot be mistaken for legal tender.

The central bank urged the public to report any unauthorized printing or suspicious handling of Philippine banknote designs to law enforcement agencies or directly to the BSP’s currency management sector.