This Guy Burned a P20 Bill on TikTok. Now the BSP Will Teach Him a Lesson
A TikToker who burned a P20 bank note is now in hot water after his stunt caught the attention of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).
In his TikTok video, the suspect set fire to the P20 bill, which he used to light his alcoholic drink in a pitcher.
Presidential Decree No. 247 of 1973 prohibits anyone from burning, defacing, mutilating, or destroying bank notes. All Philippine currency such as paper bills and coins belong to the Republic of the Philippines.
Two provisions of the law state:
- That it shall be unlawful for any person to willfully deface, mutilate, tear, burn or destroy, in any manner whatsoever, currency notes and coins issued by the Central Bank of the Philippines; and
- That any person who shall violate this Decree shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine of not more than P20,000 and/or by imprisonment of not more than five years.
The Suspect’s Identity and Location Has Been Found
In a report by GMA News, Dickenson Gamalo of BSP-Quezon City said they have identified the location of the suspect.
“We’ve pieced together information leading to the location, the whereabouts, where the suspect lives, and his identity. There were validations conducted for this,” Gamalo said in Filipino.
‘Wala Kayong Takas’
According to Gamalo, the suspect could also face charges of violation of Article 154 of the Revised Penal Code, which states that “a person… who causes damage to the interest or credit of the state may be punished.”
The BSP is also looking into the possibility of charging the suspect for violating the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2022.
“Kahit sa social media maaari tayong makapag-commit ng mga ganitong violations. Wala po kayong takas,” said Gamalo. (“Even on social media, people commit these violations. You cannot escape [the rule of law.])”
