Authorities arrested a graphic artist caught producing and selling fake COVID-19 vaccination cards in Pasay City.
Operatives of the Pasay City Police – Station Intelligence Section arrested 28-year-old Marcelo Cabansag for falsifying, printing, and selling the cards to unvaccinated individuals.
Cabansag was apprehended late Tuesday at No. 32 P. Arnaiz Avenue, Libertad in Barangay 94, Zone 11, after he failed to show proof that he is authorized to produce and sell Pasay City vaccination cards.
Seized from the suspect were P100 marked money, six falsified COVID-19 Vaccination Cards, one Dell computer monitor, one Lenovo CPU, a keyboard and mouse, one computer power supply, two printers, one laminator machine, one photocopier and printer machine, two glossy photo papers, two laminating film, and two paper cutters.
While Metro Manila is under Alert Level 3, commercial establishments and public transport will require customers and passengers to show proof of vaccination together with identification cards before they will be allowed to enter establishments and conveyances.
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairman Benjamin Abalos Jr. earlier appealed to the public not to falsify their COVID-19 vaccination cards, saying such an act is punishable by law and local ordinances.
He said any person or any establishment who will falsify the COVID-19 vaccine card shall be prosecuted based on local government ordinances and Section 12 of Republic Act 11525, or the COVID-19 Vaccination Program Act of 2021.
Violators will be slapped with a fine of not less than P20,000 but not more than P50,000 or imprisonment of at least two to six months.
Abalos said unvaccinated people will not be allowed to go outside residences unless their activities are essential, like physical exercising in their barangays or communities, provided there is no objection from the local government units where these activities may take place.
The Department of Transportation has also imposed a “no vaccination, no ride” policy to further prevent the spread of coronavirus disease.
The policy took effect Jan. 17 following President Rodrigo Duterte’s order of restricting the movement of unvaccinated individuals in Metro Manila as the region continues to experience a surge in COVID-19 cases.
The order will remain in effect while Metro Manila is under Alert Level 3 or a higher quarantine classification.