ROSALES, Pangasinan – A couple, both high school teachers, from Nueva Ecija, was arrested on Tuesday at the border checkpoint here as they tried to enter Pangasinan using an alleged fake medical certificate.
In an interview, Rosales police station chief investigator Senior M/Sgt. Marlon Palaruan said the couple, identified as Jomar Graganza and his wife Jovinel, presented medical certificates at the border checkpoint of Pangasinan-Nueva Ecija.
However, he said border inspectors noticed that these were edited and counterfeit.
“We called the issuing office and they confirmed that they did not issue medical certificates to the couple, hence the documents presented were falsified,” Palaruan said.
He said the couple who are natives of Barangay Sta. Ana in Guimba town planned to go to Urdaneta City to buy goods but they were not allowed to enter the province and were detained for falsifying documents.
“For humanitarian consideration, we will release them and ask them to go back to their province instead but we will file the case against them in violation of Article 171 and 172 (of the Revised Penal Code),” he added.
Palaruan asked the public to provide authentic documents if they wish to enter the province.
“It is easy to get a medical certificate and travel authority, so they better do it the right way,” he added. (PNA)
