Republic of the Philippines

Department of the Interior and Local Government

National Police Commission
PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE
CRIME LABORATORY
Camp Crame, Quezon City

QUESTIONED DOCUMENT
EXAMINATION
 OUTLINE
• FUNCTIONS OF A DOCUMENT EXAMINER
• BASIC REQUIREMENTS IN QUESTIONED
DOCUMENT EXAMINATION
• CLASSES OF QUESTIONED DOCUMENTS
• TERMINOLOGIES AND EXPLANATION
• TECHNIQUES IN THE EXAMINATION OF
QUESTIONED DOCUMENT
• COUNTERFEIT DETECTION
• CARE, PRESERVATION AND HANDLING OF
QUESTIONED DOCUMENT
 FUNCTIONS OF A DOCUMENT EXAMINER
• EXAMINATION OF QUESTIONED SIGNATURES
• HANDWRITING IDENTIFICATION (Anonymous letter,
Ransom Note, Threat Letter, Alleged Suicide Note/Letter)
• EXAMINATION OF DOCUMENTS SUSPECTED TO HAVE
BEEN ALTERED
• DECIPHERMENT OF SECRET WRITINGS
• EXAMINATION OF SEQUENCE OF ENTRY
• PAPER AND INK COMPARISON
• TYPEWRITING IDENTIFICATION
• EXAMINATION OF COUNTERFEIT BILLS
• MISCELLANEOUS EXAMINATION SUCH AS CREDIT CARD
FRAUDS, FAKE PASSPORTS EXAMINATION AND
CYBER CRIME EXAMINATION
• CONDUCT LECTURES TO PNP, AFP, AND OTHER AGENCIES
• CONDUCT FIELD LABORATORY WORKS
• ATTEND COURT DUTIES
 BASIC REQUIREMENTS IN QUESTIONED
DOCUMENT EXAMINATION
A. REQUEST:
– Document Examination shall be based on written
request from any investigating agency of the
government, court order and private requesting
party.
– Documents previously examined by any competent
agencies of the government shall not be re-examined
except when there is a court order.
– If the case is undergoing trial in court, disputed
documents shall be examined only upon order of the
court having jurisdiction of the case.
BASIC REQUIREMENTS IN QUESTIONED
DOCUMENT EXAMINATION
B. SPECIMEN TO BE SUBMITTED
1. Signature
• Original documents
• Contemporaneous date of the standard
handwritings, maximum of five (5) years
before and after the execution of the
questioned document
• At least eight (8) standard signatures
• Similar writing style (conventional to
conventional, highly individualized to highly
individualized
BASIC REQUIREMENTS IN QUESTIONED
DOCUMENT EXAMINATION
B. SPECIMEN TO BE SUBMITTED
2. Handwriting
• Original documents
• Contemporaneous date of the standard
documents maximum of five (5) years before
and after the execution of the questioned
document
• At least four (4) to five (5) pages of standard
handwritings
• Similar writing style (cursive to cursive, script
to script and printed to printed
• Similar language/dialect
• Similar writing instrument used if possible
 BASIC REQUIREMENTS IN QUESTIONED
DOCUMENT EXAMINATION
B. SPECIMEN TO BE SUBMITTED
3. Typewriting
- Original document
- At least four (4) pages of standard documents
typewritten verbatim
4. Counterfeiting/Imitation
- Original of the questioned documents
- At least one (1) standard in case of unfair
trade competition
5. Alteration
- Original of the questioned documents
 CLASSES OF QUESTIONED
DOCUMENTS
• DOCUMENTS WITH QUESTIONED SIGNATURES
• HOLOGRAPHIC DOCUMENTS
• DOCUMENTS INVOLVING TYPEWRITINGS
• DOCUMENTS CONTAINING ALLEGED
FRAUDULENT ALTERATIONS
• DOCUMENTS QUESTIONED AS TO THEIR AGE
OR DATE
• DOCUMENTS QUESTIONED ON THE MATERIAL
USED IN THEIR PRODUCTION
• GENUINE DOCUMENTS ERRONEOUSLY OR
FRAUDULENTLY ATTACKED
 TERMINOLOGIES
• DOCUMENT – any material which contains
marks, symbols or signs either visible,
partially visible, or invisible that may
presently or ultimately convey meaning or
message to someone.
• QUESTIONED DOCUMENT – any
document about which some issue have been
raised or under scrutiny, with respect to its
genuineness and its origin.
 TERMINOLOGIES
STANDARD – are condensed and compact set
of authentic specimen which if adequate and
proper should contain a true cross-section of
the material from a known source.
CLASSES OF STANDARD
Collected standard – are those writing executed from
day to day in the course of business, social and
personal affairs.
Requested or Dictated standard – are standard
writings prepared upon request of the investigator
and for the sole purpose of comparison with the
questioned document
FACTORS CONSIDERED IN SELECTING
STANDARDS FOR COMPARISON
• Amount of Standard
• Similarity of Subject matter
• Date of Preparation
• Writing Materials
• Writing Condition
 FOR REQUESTED AND
DICTATED STANDARDS
• Materials must be dictated to the suspect or
suspects.
• Carefully select the dictated text. Do not dictate the
entire content of the anonymous letter.
• Adequate amount of writing must be included.
• Some portion of the dictation should be repeated at
least three times.
• Writing instrument and paper should be similar to
those used in preparing the questioned document.
• The dictation should be interrupted at intervals.
• Normal writing conditions should be arranged.
 TERMINOLOGIES
CHARACTERISTICS – is any property or mark
which distinguishes and in document
examination commonly refers to as
identifying details.

Two (2) Groups of Characteristics

Class Characteristics – those which is common to a
group
Individual Characteristics – those which are highly
personal or peculiar and are unlikely to occur in
other instances.
 TERMINOLOGIES

• VARIATION – the normal or

usual deviation found in repeated
specimen of any individual
handwriting.
 TERMINOLOGIES
HANDWRITING – is the result of a very
complicated series of acts, being as a whole a
combination of certain forms of visible
mental and muscular habits acquired by long
continued painstaking effort.
Kinds of Writing:
Cursive – letters are connected
Script – letters are disconnected
Block – letters are all capitalized
 TERMINOLOGIES
SIGNATURE – is the name of a person
written by himself on a document as a sign
of acknowledgement.

Styles of Signature
1. Conventional type
2. Highly individualized type
 TERMINOLOGIES
ALTERATION – are the changes made on a
document after its original preparation.
Kinds of Alterations:
1. Erasure – removal of writing, typewriting or printing
from a document
a. Mechanical erasure – the writing is effaced by
rubbing with a rubber eraser or scratching out with a
knife or other sharp instrument.
b. Chemical erasure –the writing is effaced by the use
of liquid ink eradicator
2. Obliteration – the blotting out or smearing over of
writing to make the original invisible or undecipherable
 TERMINOLOGIES
Kinds of Alterations:
3. Addition – any matter made a part of the document
after its original preparation.
4. Subtraction – any matter rubbed out, strike out and/or
scratched out after its original preparation.
5. Interlineations - the term “insertion” and “interlinea-
tions” include the addition of writing and other
material between lines or paging or the addition of
whole page to a document.
6. Superimposition – often accomplished by covering or
smearing over or over laying the original writing.
TECHNIQUES IN THE EXAMINATION OF
QUESTIONED DOCUMENTS

1. Microscopic Examination – Stereoscopic

examination with low and high power
objectives is used to detect retouching,
patching and unnatural pen lift in signature
analysis. With proper angle and intensity of
illumination, it aids in the decipherment of
erasures, some minutes manipulation not
perfectly pictured to the unaided eye and
the sequence of entries done by different
writing instrument.
STEREOSCOPIC EXAMINATION
2. Transmitted Light Examination – Documents
are subjected to this type of examination to
determine the presence of erasures, matching of
serration and some other types of alteration.
3. Oblique Light Examination –
Decipherment of faded
handwriting, determination of
outlines in traced forgery, embossed
impression, etc. are subjected to this
type of examination.
4. Photographic Examination – This type of
examination is very essential in every document
examination. Actual observations are recorded in
the photography.
5. Ultra-Violet Examination – This type of
examination is done in a darkroom after the
lamp has been warmed up in order to give a
maximum output of the ultra-violet light.
Exposure to the ultra-violet light should be to
the minimum duration in order to avoid fading
of some writing ink and typewriter ribbon. The
exposures of a document to ultra-violet light is
useful when it consists of several pages and
substitution is being suspected. The color and
intensity of fluorescence reaction is very
apparent in case of a substituted page.
Mechanical and chemical erasures will
certainly change the reflectivity and
fluorescence of the area affected.
ULTRA-VIOLET EXAMINATION
6. Preparation of Court Exhibits – After the document
examiner has completed his examination and the
Laboratory report has been submitted, he prepares the
photographic exhibits for court demonstration and
illustration.
7. Electrostatic Detection Apparatus – Detects
indention/ indented writings. Records transparencies of
any indentations.
8. Video Spectral Comparator (VSC) –
Used in the examination of masked
or obliterated text, watermarks, visible
fluorescence, paper fluorescence and
oblique illumination of indented writing
and embossing. Detects variation in the
infra-red characteristics of inks. Reveals
alterations by eliminating and interfering
background luminescence.
VIDEO SPECTRAL COMPARATOR (VSC)
 TYPEWRITING IDENTIFICATION

Typewriting Identification
 TYPEWRITING IDENTIFICATION

Typewriting Identification
“Serif” Yarn Count
1
1 2
2 3
3 Woof or (“Ribbon
4 Filling”)
4 5
5 6 Yarn Count or
7 (“Weave Pattern”)
8
9
10
11
12
13
“Thirteen (13) ribbon threads to a letter”
 TYPEWRITING IDENTIFICATION

Typewriting Identification

Variation in letter design illustrated under ruled square template

 TYPEWRITING IDENTIFICATION

Typewriter Identification

Note the unique characteristic of the typed letter "u" (left) from
the questioned document, which matches the unique
characteristic of the "u" typewriter key (right) from the
typewriter seized during the investigation
 TYPEWRITING IDENTIFICATION

Ribbon Identification

Example of paper fiber transfer with typewritten text (left) and the
carbon ribbon impression (right).
TYPEWRITING IDENTIFICATION

The transfer of fiber designs can link a typewriter ribbon to type text.
Which enables examination to positively link a ribbon text on a
document. In the examples above, carbon was transferred (left) when
the typeface struck the ribbon to the paper. A reverse transfer of the
paper fiber design (right) is made on the plastic ribbon from the
pressure exerted by the typeface
 TYPEWRITING IDENTIFICATION

Specimen made without ribbon and photographed by side light to show

design of letters

Enlargement typewritten word under ruled squares of test plate

 TYPEWRITING IDENTIFICATION

Comparison of typewritten word under ruled squares of test plate

 TYPEWRITING IDENTIFICATION

Common Typewriting Defects and Causes

Typewritten word from an old discarded machine illustrating different

typewriter defects and abnormalities.
COUNTERFEIT DETECTION
STEPS IN RECOGNIZING GENUINE BSP NOTES:

“Study and familiarize yourself with the characteristics,

designs and distinct features of BSP banknotes by
following these steps”:

 PAPER (a)

Feel the paper - The genuine note is printed on a

special kind of paper which is rough when you run
your fingers thru it. It does not glow under the ultra-
violet light. During paper manufacture, the
watermark, security fibers, security threads and
iridescent are included.
STEPS IN RECOGNIZING GENUINE
BSP NOTES
WATERMARK (b)
Examine the watermark on the unprinted portion
of the note. The water mark is silhouette of the portrait
appearing on the face of the note. Sharp details of the light
and shadow effect can be seen when the note is viewed
against the light. The contours of the features of the
silhouette can be felt by running the fingers over the
design on relatively new notes.
STEPS IN RECOGNIZING GENUINE
BSP NOTES
 SECURITY FIBERS (c)
Inspect the security fibers.
Embedded red and blue visible fibers are
scattered at random on both surfaces of a
genuine note and can be readily picked off
by means of any pointed instrument.
 STEPS IN RECOGNIZING GENUINE
BSP NOTES
 EMBEDDED SECURITY THREAD (d)
- View the embedded security thread . The
embedded security thread is a special thread
vertically implanted off center of the note
during paper manufacture. This can be easily
be seen when the note is viewed against the
light. It appears as a broken line for 5’s, 10’s,
and 20’s and straight line for 50’s, 100‘s,
500’s, 1000’s.
 STEPS IN RECOGNIZING GENUINE
BSP NOTES
 WINDOWED SECURITY THREAD
(e)
View the windowed security
thread on the improved version of
the 100’s, 500’s, and 1000 notes and
the new 200 notes. The windowed
security thread is a narrow security
thread vertically located like
“stitches” at the face of the note with
clear text of the numerical value in
repeated sequence and changes in
color from magenta to green or green
to magenta depending on the angle
view.
STEPS IN RECOGNIZING GENUINE
BSP NOTES
IRRIDESCENT BAND (f)
Find for the iridescent band on the
improve version of 100’s, 500’s and 1000
notes and the new 200 notes. A wide
glistening gold vertical stripe with the
numerical value printed series.
STEPS IN RECOGNIZING GENUINE
BSP NOTES
PORTRAIT (g)
Recognize the portrait. Appears life-like. The
eyes “sparkle”. Shadings are formed by the lines that
give the portrait a characteristics facial expression
which is extremely difficult to replicate.
STEPS IN RECOGNIZING GENUINE
BSP NOTES
SERIAL NUMBER (h)
Check the serial number. Composed of 1
or 2 prefix letters and 6 or 7 digits. The letters
and numerals are uniform in size and thickness,
evenly space and well aligned; and glow under
the ultra-violet light. A banknote with six “0”
digit serial number is a specimen note and not
legal tender note.
STEPS IN RECOGNIZING GENUINE
BSP NOTES
BACKGROUND/ LACEWORK DESIGN (i)
Scan the background/ lacework design
are made up of multicolored and well defined
lines. The lace work designs are composed of
web- crisscrossing lines are continuous and
traceable at the intersection.
STEPS IN RECOGNIZING GENUINE
BSP NOTES
VALUED PANEL (j)
Check the numerals found at the
four corners of the front and back of the
note. The numerals denote the
denomination of the note.
STEPS IN RECOGNIZING GENUINE
BSP NOTES
FLUORESCENT PRINTING (k)
Look for the presence of the
fluorescent print when the note is
exposed under the ultra-violet light. The
fluorescent print is the invisible
numerical value located off center of the
face of the note that glows when
exposed to ultra- violet light.
STEPS IN RECOGNIZING GENUINE
BSP NOTES
MICROPRINTING (l)
Verify under the lens the presence of
the micro printing on the denominations 50,
100, 200, 500, and 1000. micro printings are
the minute and finely printed words “Bangko
Sentral ng Pilipinas” or “Central Bank of the
Philippines” located at the face or back of the
note that are clearly printed and readable.
STEPS IN RECOGNIZING GENUINE
BSP NOTES
CONCEALED VALUE (m)
Check the concealed value on the 500
piso denomination. This concealed value
is located at the lower left corner of the
face of the note and is recognizable
when the note is held at the eye level
STEPS IN RECOGNIZING GENUINE
BSP NOTES
OPTICALLY VARIABLE INK (n)
Check the optically variable ink on the
1000- piso denomination. It changes color
from green to blue or blue to green when the
note is held at different angles.
STEPS IN RECOGNIZING GENUINE
BSP NOTES
VIGNETTE (o)
Verify the vignette. The lines and
dashes composing the vignette are fine,
distinct and sharp; the varying color
tone gives a vivid look to the picture
that makes it “stand out” of the paper.
100 PESO BILL (Version 1)
100 PESO BILL (Version 2)
RECOGNIZING GENUINE FROM
COUNTERFEIT PESO NOTES
PAPER

- Made up of special kind

- Made up of ordinary
of paper which is rough
paper which usually
to touch.
reacts under the
- Does not react to
ultraviolet light.
ultraviolet light.
- Watermark/ security
fibers and security thread
are incorporated during
its manufacture.
RECOGNIZING GENUINE FROM
COUNTERFEIT PESO NOTES
WATERMARK

- Watermark located on the - Imitation of the portrait is

unprinted portion of the note is
the portrait appearing on the done on the finished paper.
face of the note. - Wax or other oily medium is
- Shadow effects are discernable stamped to give transparency
when viewed with the aid of a to the portion where the design
transmitted light.
appears.
- Relief of the features can be felt
by running the fingers on the
design.
RECOGNIZING GENUINE FROM
COUNTERFEIT PESO NOTES
SECURITY FIBERS

- Red and blue fibers - Simulated by printed

are scattered at lines that cannot be
random on both picked-off, but can be
surfaces. easily erased with
- Can be picked –off ordinary rubber.
by means of any - Sometimes, fibers are
pointed instrument pasted on the surface
- Luminous under that can be removed by
ultra the violet light agitating the fiber.
RECOGNIZING GENUINE FROM
COUNTERFEIT PESO NOTES
SECURITY THREAD

- Special thread placed - Faked by means of

vertically on the paper printing a vertical
during its line either in front or
manufacture.
at the back of note.
- Appears as a broken
line for 5’s, 10’s, 20’s.
- Straight line for 50’s,
100’s, 200’s, and 500’s.
 RECOGNIZING GENUINE FROM
COUNTERFEIT PESO NOTES
PORTRAIT

- Appears life-like
- Appears “dead”, dull,
- The eyes “sparkle” smudgy and poorly printed.
Shadings are formed by - Eyes do not sparkle
fine lines that give a - The concentric lines
characteristics facial depicting the eyes often
merge into solid printed
expression which is areas. The hair strands are
extremely difficult to not discernable.
replicate.
 RECOGNIZING GENUINE FROM
COUNTERFEIT PESO NOTES
SERIAL NUMBER

- Prefix (es) and numbers - Letter (s) and numbers are

(normally six digits) are poorly printed.
clearly printed. - Usually of different style
- Have a peculiar style - Not evenly-spaced and are
poorly aligned, either too big or
and are uniform and too thin and in certain cases,
alignment is even. shaded on the curves.
Ink used is special that - No reaction under the
fluoresces under an ultra ultraviolet light.
violet light.
 RECOGNIZING GENUINE FROM
COUNTERFEIT PESO NOTES
BACKGROUND/ LACE DESIGN

- Background designs are - Background designs

multi- colored and are are often blurred and
composed of sharp lines blotched on the
which are continuous and intersections
traceable even at the joints. resulting in a
- Lacework design are fine, different color
web like criss-crossing lines scheme making the
which are continuous and general appearance
traceable even at the joints. pale or dark.
 RECOGNIZING GENUINE FROM
COUNTERFEIT PESO NOTES
LATENT IMAGE/ CONCEALED VALUE

- True only for 500 - Counterfeit note

denomination usually contain this
- Located at the lower feature, if ever, the
left corner of the face figure “500” is not
of the note. recognizable as the
- Recognizable when genuine, even when
the note is held at the held in the same
eye level. manner.
RECOGNIZING GENUINE FROM
COUNTERFEIT PESO NOTES
MICROPRINTS

- Microprints are - Microprints

clearly printed and
are not clear
readable.
and fine as
- Present only
the genuine
denomina-tions of
50, 100, 500, and and not
1000. readable.
RECOGNIZING GENUINE FROM
COUNTERFEIT PESO NOTES
SPECIAL FEATURES

- Also called invisible - Imitated by using

print, the fluorescent a yellow- orange
print is one feature that ink is visible even
appears at the center of under normal
the face of the note condition.
which is not seen by the
naked eye except by the
use of ultraviolet light.
RECOGNIZING GENUINE FROM
COUNTERFEIT PESO NOTES

PRINTING

- Generally, the registry of the different

printed features is perfect.
RECOGNIZING GENUINE FROM
COUNTERFEIT PESO NOTES

 VALUE PANEL

- Numerals found at the four corners of

the front and back of the note denoting the
denomination.
RECOGNIZING GENUINE FROM
COUNTERFEIT PESO NOTES
 COLOR

- Have a polychrome background with one predominant

color for each denomination.
1000-peso BLUE
500-peso YELLOW
100-peso MAUVE
50-peso RED
20-peso ORANGE
10-peso BROWN
5-peso GREEN
 RECOGNIZING GENUINE FROM
COUNTERFEIT COINS
GENUINE
Genuine coins below show an even of metallic
grains. The details of the profile , the letterings and
numerals are of high relief that they can be felt
distinctly by running the fingers on these features.
The readings are deep and even.
COUNTERFEIT
Most counterfeit coins feel greasy and appear
slimy. The letterings and numerals are low and
worn out due to lack of sharpness and show signs of
filing. The readings are irregular and uneven.
CLEAN NOTE POLICY
1. Fit Note
• Fairly clean that is very obvious in genuine
• Paper note is so strong that it can withstand
prolonged ordinary wear and tear.
• When held at one end is one hand and
pressured into a slightly concave shape
lengthwise the paper note should sustain
itself substantially on a line with the hand.
 CLEAN NOTE POLICY
2. Unfit Note
• It shall not be recirculated , but may presented for
exchange or deposited with any bank.
• Paper note that contains heavy creases which breaks
the fiber of the paper and indicate that disintegrations
has begun.
• Paper note that is badly soiled to be offensive and/ or
with writings that make it dirty even if it has a proper
life or sizing.
• Paper note that presents a limp or rag like appearance.
• Mere creasing or wrinkling that has not broken nor
weakened note, does not render the note unfit.
 CLEAN NOTE POLICY
3. Mutilated Note
• It shall not be recirculated nor deposited/ exchanged,
but may be presented or forwarded, for determination
of their redemption/ exchange value to BSP or to its
nearest regional office.
• Torn parts of banknote are joined together with
adhesive tape in a manner which tries to preserve as
nearly as possible the original design and size of the
note.
• The original size of the note has been reduced/ lost
through wear and tear or has been otherwise torn,
damaged, defaced or perforated trough action of
insects, chemicals or other causes.
CLEAN NOTE POLICY

• It is scorched or burn to such an extent

that although recognizable as such, it has
become frail and brittle as to render
further handling thereof, impossible
without disintegration or breaking.
• It is split edgewise
• It has lost all the signatures inscribed
thereon.
“Make it a HABIT to FEEL and
LOOK at all currency being
received so that the FINGER &
the EYES will become FAMILIAR
with all the above mentioned
features of genuine Bangko
Sentral notes and coins”.
 “COMPARE a doubtful note/coin with
a known genuine one of the same
denomination / series”.

“ Always REMIT all doubtful Bangko

Sentral notes/coins to the Police or the
Cash Department, Bangko Sentral ng
Pilipinas for verification”.
 IF YOU SUSPECT A
COUNTERFEIT NOTE…
WHAT TO DO?
• Do not return it to the passer.
• Delay the passer by some excuse, if possible, without
risking harm.
• Observe and record the passer’s appearance and that
of his/ her companion/s.
• Note the license plate number and make of the passer’s
car.
• Write your initials and the date on an unprinted
portion of the suspected bill.
• Place the note in a protective envelope.
“In case you get hold of a
doubtful note please contact the
Police or the Cash
Department, Bangko Sentral ng
Pilipinas”.
CARE, PRESERVATION AND HANDLING OF
QUESTIONED DOCUMENT EVIDENCE
• Disputed documents should not be cut, torn or
in any manner mutilated in the slightest
degree.
• Documents should not be touched with an
eraser or any kind, nor with pen, pencil, or
sharp instrument of any character.
• Documents should not be folded in any new
place.
• Documents should not be unfold
unnecessarily.
• Except by special permission, no chemicals
should be applied to papers in any manner that
will injure or deface them and test of this kind
should be made only by those properly qualified
to make them.
• Never point closely at letters or any parts of it
with a pencil.
• Sharp pointed dividers or measuring instruments
should not be put on a questioned writing except
with the greatest care and only by those skilled in
the used of instrument, and a direct tracing should
not be made of it by anyone at anytime.
 Thank you, Good Day
and
GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!!