THE DEPARTMENT of Justice (DOJ) on Wednesday warned that forgers of bogus appointment papers of public officials bearing the president's signature and presidential seal face jail term of up to 20 years.
At a Laging Handa public briefing, DOJ spokesperson Mico Clavano said investigators would leave no stone unturned in going after persons spreading bogus appointment papers.
He issued the warning as the National Bureau of Investigation and the PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group have been tasked to probe the incident.
“May lumabas na isang pekeng dokumento. Nakalagay doon sa dokumento ang appointment kunwari ni Rodolfo Espejo Jr. as commissioner ng Bureau of Immigration (There is this document which says Rodolfo Espejo Jr. has been appointed). Although sa pagtingin ng mga officials natin doon sa Malacañang 'yung orginal ho ng dokumento wala ho sa PMS, sa OES at sa OP (When checked, the original document does not exist in the PMS (Presidential Management Staff), the Office of the Executive Secretary and the Office of the President),” Clavano said.
Citing Article 161 of the Revised Penal Code, Clavano said counterfeiting the president's seal is punishable with reclusion temporal or 12 to 20 years imprisonment.
“Delikado 'yung ganitong dokumento kasi it creates an atmosphere of confusion at dine-discredit 'yung reputasyon ng ating gobyerno (This is a serious offense because this document creates an atmosphere of confusion and discredits the reputation of the government),” Clavano said.
The NBI and the CIDG investigation will point to the source, the persons behind it and their intention, Clavano said.
He assured that media outlets that mistakenly reported the forged appointment as real will not be held liable. (Benjamin Pulta)
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