Court alert after fake bond office found

CEBU, Philippines - The recent discovery of a fake bail bond company in Cebu City has alarmed the court but, on the good side, gave it reason to be more vigilant with firms it is working with.

Former Regional Trial Court Judge Executive Judge Simeon Dumdum, Jr. said the legitimacy of a bail bond company is paramount because it can affect the case an accused in a case.

“Judges can cancel the bail bond of the accused in favor of the state if found out that the bail bond firm is fake. We can issue a bench warrant for the arrest of the accused,” Dumdum said.

He said the role of the bonding company is very important because if an accused fails to appear during an arraignment or promulgation of  judgment despite summon, it will be the bonding company that the judge will order to bring the accused to court. It will also be the bonding company that the court will order to explain if it fails to present the accused.

“If the bonding company failed to justify their failure to bring the body of the accused, the court will forfeit the bail bond of the accused and will order the bonding company to pay the same amount,” Dumdum said.

Last Thursday, the National Bureau of Investigation-7 raided the office of Anthony Espinosa and Larry Steve Dagal for allegedly issuing fake bail bonds. The operation was hatched following a complaint filed by the Philippine Fire and Marine Insurance Corp. against Espinosa and Dagal for allegedly using the company’s name despite the fact that they are not connected with the firm.

Espinosa and Dagal’s office is located just about 30 meters away from the NBI headquarters here.

“In my experience as a judge for 15 years and being an executive judge, it is the first time that I heard such news…if my memory is right, so far I did not sign a release order that PHILFIRE is the bonding company,” Dumdum said.

He said judges leave the task of scrutinizing the legitimacy of the bail bond firm to the clerk of court.

RTC Clerk of Court Jeffrey Joaquino told The FREEMAN that there are guidelines in posting a bond. The bonding company must attach the certification of accreditation and authority signed by Vener Pimentel and Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez and the certificate of compliance and receipt that they posted the bond.

“If naay nakalusot, maybe na-overlook na namo pero I doubt nga makalusot kay we’ll see to it nga ang policy number sa usa ka bonding company is within the policy numbers sa certificate of compliance nga ilang gi attached,” Joaquino said.

He said it is difficult from their end to determine if the document submitted is genuine or not because they merely look the papers on face value. He said his office is willing to coordinate with the NBI in the investigation.

Espinosa and Dagal are facing charges for falsification of public documents against. —/JMO (FREEMAN)