- Five arrested in joint operation against bogus notaries
THE INTEGRATED Bar of the Philippines-Davao and the Regional Trial Court XI tapped the National Bureau of Investigation to entrap and arrest five individuals for allegedly engaging in unauthorized notarial services around 4 p.m. on Monday, July 28.
The crackdown followed a strong call to action from IBP-Davao president, Atty. Ferdinand Taglucop, and RTC XI Executive Judge Rowena Apao-Adlawan.
Atty Arcelito Albao, director of NBI XI, said, “Ang IBP nag-monitor mga two years na but kami two weeks na siguro,” Albao said.
THE INTEGRATED Bar of the Philippines-Davao and the Regional Trial Court XI tapped the National Bureau of Investigation to entrap and arrest five individuals for allegedly engaging in unauthorized notarial services around 4 p.m. on Monday, July 28.
The crackdown followed a strong call to action from IBP-Davao president, Atty. Ferdinand Taglucop, and RTC XI Executive Judge Rowena Apao-Adlawan.
Atty Arcelito Albao, director of NBI XI, said, “Ang IBP nag-monitor mga two years na but kami two weeks na siguro,” Albao said.
“They are notarizing legal documents when, first, they are not lawyers and notary public. They don’t have the authority or permit from the court. They have seals and stamps for notary using the identities of genuine lawyers,” Albao told TIMES in an interview on Tuesday.
Upon the directive of NBI director, Judge Jaime B. Santiago (Ret.), the NBI-Southeastern Mindanao Regional Office (NBI-Semro) launched simultaneous operations to curb these illicit activities.
The operations, which included thorough surveillance and coordination with the Davao City Police Office, culminated in an entrapment operation on July 28. This led to the arrest of five suspects in various areas, specifically in Bolton, Magallanes, and C.M. Recto.
These individuals were apprehended for performing notarization services without being licensed attorneys or duly commissioned notaries public.
Santiago urged the public to verify the authority of anyone claiming to be a lawyer or notary.
He said these “unscrupulous acts are illegal and will not be tolerated by the NBI, the IBP, and the court,” asserting that “violators will be arrested and put to jail in accordance with the law.”
The NBI XI on Tuesday also filed criminal charges against the arrested suspects for violations related to public documents, usurpation of authority, and the Notarial Act.
Albao urged the public to report similar illegal activities to either the NBI XI or the IBP XI for immediate investigation and action.
Photo courtesy of NBI XI
