More than 100 security guards, some of them hired by the Negros Occidental provincial government and a Bacolod department store through security agencies, are believed to have been victimized by a syndicate that has been issuing fake training certificates and permits for a fee.

This was disclosed yesterday by Cresencio Palo and Ferdinand Turbanos of the VMA Security Training Institute, who said those responsible for fraudulent acts will be charged for large scale estafa.

Palo said they started investigating after receiving intelligence information that fake training certificates from the VMA Security Training Institute were being issued to security guards for P1,800 each.

He said security guards are charged P3,500 by the syndicate if the fake training certificate is part of a complete package, that includes a suspected fake license issued by the Philippine National Police Supervisory Office for Security and Investigation Agencies, National Bureau of Investigation and police clearances, general knowledge exam, neuro psycho and drug tests results, and a firing certificate.

That means documents from various government agencies required for one to work as a security guard could also have been faked, Palo said.

He said last week he was informed that fake VMA training certificates had been issued to security guards of some agencies, and they have since recovered some.

The fake training certificates do not have seals, and have fake control numbers, he said.

“We are asking the security guards to testify against those who issued them the fake training certificates, or they can be charged for working in connivance with the culprits,” Palo said.

So far, their investigation indicates that there are two persons issuing fake training certificates, he added.

They discovered that three security guards at the Capitol, who were hired from an agency, have fake training certificates, Palo said. They have sought the help of Venchito Magalona, head of the Capitol security, in checking on the training certificates of the rest of the Capitol security guards, he added.

Magalona said one of the persons tagged as having issued the fake certificates to the Capitol security guards, of IloBac Security Agency whose name is being withheld, used to work as a security guard at the Provincial Veterinarian's Office.

Some security guards at Lopue's San Sebastian, hired through an agency, were also found to have fake training certificates, Palo said.

Jesseryl Rafil and Rodolfo Bustamante Jr. lodged a complaint in a police blotter against Roberto Pongasi of Barangay Mansilingan, alleging that they each gave him P3,500 for the processing of their security licenses but, to their dismay, they found out that they were fictitious.

Palo and Turbanos also filed a complaint before the police against Pongasi, who they said, is the head guard of Lopue's San Sebastian employed by GLEMCO Security Agency for the alleged issuance of fake VMA Security Training Institute training certificates.*CPG

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