Forger in sign racket nabbed

BAGUIO CITY -- A suspected forger faking the signature of the chief nurse of Baguio General Hospital was arrested recently by operatives of the Station 7 police.

Apprehended was Renato Moreno Borbon, an alleged forger operating along Upper Mabini Street here for faking the clinical nurse signatures on the summary of cases of applicants for nursing examinations.

Upon the complaint of the Professional Regulation Commission and the Philippine Nurses Association, Cordillera regional police operatives set an entrapment operation on April 16.

It was led by SPO2 Jesse dela Cruz, SPO2 Ronaldo Trinidad and SPO1 Synzer Kapawen.
The suspect was caught receiving P50 after faking the signature of Elena Tampican, chief nurse of the BGH Medical Center.

Police also confiscated from Borbon various fake documents including diploma, transcripts of records, various certificates and different writing pens.

A forgery case was filed against him before the Office of the City Prosecutor.

That day, a long queue of students had lined up for Borbon’s services, prompting a professional nurse to report the matter to the PRC Baguio Regional Office.

The tipster claimed that Borbon was faking the signatures of chief nurses who were supposed to sign the summary of cases.

The SOC is a record of cases that nursing student completed to qualify for the Nursing Licensure Examination (NLE).

The PRC and the PNA requested for police assistance after receiving the complaint.

The PRC warned NLE applicants against submitting forged documents.

PRC regional director Teofilo Gaius Sison, Jr. said the agency checks authenticity of all documents submitted by applicants, including verification with schools and hospitals and handwriting/signature comparison with specimen signatures.

Applicants who submitted fraudulent signature are barred from taking the nursing examination.

If they had already passed the examination, their test papers would be cancelled, Sison said.
Or if they had already registered as a professional, their certificate of registration or license would be revoked and the professional IDs recalled.

Last year, a number of students who submitted fake Summary of Cases were disqualified from taking the examinations and charged with falsification of public documents.

They forged the signatures of various clinical instructors, clinical coordinators, nursing deans, and chief nurses.

The PRC, PNA and police authorities are continuing to monitor such illegal activities to uphold the integrity of the NLE with more than 10,000 applicants expected for the July 2010 examinations.

Illegal activities like forgery of public documents could be reported to PRC Baguio regional office at (074) 444-7603, 304-3080 and 304-3180 or e-mail prc.baguio@gmail.com.