Fun Fact: It's Illegal to Burn PH Currency

A TikToker who recently burned a P20 banknote is now in hot water after his stunt caught the attention of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. In his TikTok video, the suspect set fire to the P20 bill, which he used to light his alcoholic drink in a pitcher. 

Here's What The Law Says:

Presidential Decree No. 247 of 1973 prohibits anyone from burning, defacing, mutilating, or destroying banknotes. All Philippine currency such as paper bills and coins belongs to the Republic of the Philippines.

Two provisions of the law state: 

1. 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
2. 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 Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (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. 

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.