Boracay PNP : warning on fake travellers checks up
BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

BORACAY – Aklan police director Supt. William Macavinta has reiterated his warning to business establishments of the proliferation of fake travellers checks following the arrest of two foreigners last week.
Macavinta identified the suspects as German national Alexander Sinowenka and Pakistani national Tariq Sididiqui Y. Yalam.
Sinowenka presented a forged British passport under Johannes Danislangly Peter on November 28 while encashing several travellers checks at Boracay Tourist Center , near the Boracay Special Tourist Protection Office (BSTPO) police station in Sitio Manggayad, Manoc-Manoc.

He was arrested with American Travellers Check amounting to 2,200 Euros. The foreigner also encashed 2,400 Euros worth of check a day before he was collared by operatives.
“The arrested suspects were part of a syndicate with international links encashing stolen travellers checks. We should be guarded of their operations,” Macavinta said.

The checks were found later to be fake. One of the suspects was identified by a teller from the tourist center who encashed stolen travellers checks worth $2,200 and 7,900 Euros in Angeles City last October 14, he added.
The following day, Tariq was collared by the police led by Senior Insp. Christopher Prangan and Macavinta in an entrapment operation inside the BSTPO.
Tariq offered P150,000 for the release of German national, but, Prangan and operatives of BSTPO arrested him instead. During the arrest, the suspects yielded a British passport, 12 pieces of 200 Euro, $3,000 worth of Travellers Check and P100,000 cash.

The police also recovered from Tariq P20,520 cash, a Nokia mobile phone, Equitable PCI Bank Credit Card and a non-professional driver's license.

Meanwhile, Sinowenka was freed on bail last Monday for P40,000 before Executive Judge Dean Telan for estafa. Tariq earlier posted a bail of P12,000 after he was arrested last week for bribery./PN