An individual commits a crime of forgery if the signature in the negotiable instrument is forged without the consent of the authorized person. Many people have fallen victim to fraudulent transactions despite precautionary measures. Although most people rely heavily on a person’s ability to produce trustworthy documents, individuals, businesses and even political entities are still not spared from the crime of forgery.
Forgery is committed when:
• a person signs in another’s name with the intent to defraud;
• a person alters the name, amount or payee’s name with intent to defraud.
Although a crime of forgery is committed, only the forged signature is considered invalid. The instrument and the genuine signatures are still deemed valid. When it comes to payment under a forged instrument, the person whose signature is forged will not be held liable for the fraudulent transaction except for those who are negligent or those who impliedly ratified the forgery. An example of negligent would be leaving your checkbook with an executive assistant. While the assistant have forged your signature, the mere fact that there was neglect on your part will still make you liable if transactions are made through your forged signature.
“Art. 169. How forgery is committed. — The forgery referred to in this section may be committed by any of the following means:
1. By giving to a treasury or bank note or any instrument, payable to bearer or order mentioned therein, the appearance of a true genuine document.
2. By erasing, substituting, counterfeiting or altering by any means the figures, letters, words or signs contained therein.
Section Four. — Falsification of legislative, public, commercial, and privatedocuments, and wireless, telegraph, and telephone message.
Art. 170. Falsification of legislative documents. — The penalty of prision correccional in its maximum period and a fine not exceeding P6,000 pesos shall be imposed upon any person who, without proper authority therefor alters any bill, resolution, or ordinance enacted or approved or pending approval by either House of the Legislature or any provincial board or municipal council.
Art. 171. Falsification by public officer, employee or notary or ecclesiastic minister. — The penalty of prision mayor and a fine not to exceed P5,000 pesos shall be imposed upon any public officer, employee, or notary who, taking advantage of his official position, shall falsify a document by committing any of the following acts:
1. Counterfeiting or imitating any handwriting, signature or rubric;
2. Causing it to appear that persons have participated in any act or proceeding when they did not in fact so participate;
3. Attributing to persons who have participated in an act or proceeding statements other than those in fact made by them;
4. Making untruthful statements in a narration of facts;
5. Altering true dates;
6. Making any alteration or intercalation in a genuine document which changes its meaning;
7. Issuing in an authenticated form a document purporting to be a copy of an original document when no such original exists, or including in such a copy a statement contrary to, or different from, that of the genuine original; or
8. Intercalating any instrument or note relative to the issuance thereof in a protocol, registry, or official book.
The same penalty shall be imposed upon any ecclesiastical minister who shall commit any of the offenses enumerated in the preceding paragraphs of this article, with respect to any record or document of such character that its falsification may affect the civil status of persons. “
