QUESTIONED DOCUMENTS

PROF ANGELES V HERNANDEZ, M.P.A.

DEFINITION OF
DOCUMENTS
•Documents- Any material that contain marks, symbols, or signs
either visible, partially visible or invisible that may ultimately
convey a meaning or message to someone, pencil or ink
typewriting, or printing on paper are the most usual forms of
document.
•Document – Applies to writing, to words printed, lithographed,
photographed, to maps or plans, to seals, plates or even stones in
which inscriptions.
•Documents – Plural form means deeds, agreements, contracts,
title, letters, receipts and other documents
•QUESTIONED DOCUMENT – Any document which some issue has been raised or
that is under scrutiny. These are other less violent, more subtle – tools and
products of crime. They do not bruise, batter cut or shed blood, but they are
used to steal your money and threaten your security, more than guns, knives
and pry bars.

•DISPUTED DOCUMENT- A term suggesting that there is an argument or

controversy over the document, and strictly speaking this is its true meaning.
In this text, as well as through prior usage, however, disputed document and
questioned document are employed interchangeably to signify a document
that is under special scrutiny.

•HOLOGRAPIC DOCUMENTS - Any document completely written and signed by

one person; also known as holograph. In a number of jurisdiction a
holographic will can be probated without anyone having witnessed its
execution.
DEFINITION OF TERMS
•DOCUMENT EXAMINER - One who studies scientifically the details and elements
of documents in order to identify their source or to discover other facts
concerning them. Document Examiners are often referred to as handwriting
identification experts, but today the work has outgrown this latter title and
involves other problems than merely the examination of handwriting.
•FORENSIC SCIENCE - The field of science that is used in the judicial process. A
number of scientific disciplines commonly make up the more active segments
of forensic science. Some are derived from the physical, medical and dental
sciences and the best qualified workers specialize in the court- oriented aspects
of each disciplines. Questioned document examination is a notable part of
forensic science in that it developed directly from the need of court experts to
answer problems regarding documents instead of growing out of established of
field of science.
•EXPERT WITNESS - A legal term used to describe a witness who by reason of his special
technical training or experience is permitted to express an opinion regarding the issue,
or a certain aspect of the issue, which is involved in a court action. His purpose is to
interpret technical information in his particular specialty in order to assist the court in
administering justice. The document document examiners testifies in court as an expert
witness.
•FORENSIC DOCUMENT EXAMINER – Is a forensic scientist whose specialty
centers around paper documents and related materials .Examinations of
handwriting is the most common activity, but the field includes the study of
almost anything related to documents about which a forensic issue could rise.

•FORENSIC DOCUMENT EXAMINATION – Applies the principles of science and

logic to all questioned documents problems in order to determine the origin,
authenticity and genuineness.

•GRAPHOLOGY - The act of attempting to interpret the character or personality

of an individual from his handwriting.

•GRAPHO - ANALYISIS - A form of graphology commonly practiced in the US. It

has no relationship to handwriting identification.

•PALEOGRAPHY - It is the study of early writings, old and ancient scripts. It also
focuses on writings done on papyrus, parchment vellum, etc.
•EXAMINATION – The act of making a close and critical study of any material
and with questioned documents is the process necessary to discover the facts
about them. Various types of examination are undertaken including
microscopic, visual, photographic, chemical, ultra violet and infra-red
examination.

•COLLATION - Critical comparison or side by side examination.

•COMPARISON - The act of setting two or more items side by side to weigh
their identifying qualities. It implies not only a visual but also a mental act in
which the elements if one item are related to the counter parts of the other.

•CONCLUSION- A scientific conclusion results from relating observed facts by

logical, common sense reasoning in accordance with established rules or laws.
The document examiners are so derived.

•CACOGRAPHY - Characterized as bad writing.

•CALLIGRAPHY - is the art of beautiful writing.

•CALCOGRAPHY – Art of drawing with colored chalks or pastels.

•AMBIDEXTROUS - Ability to write with both left and right.

•OPINION - In legal language, the document examiners conclusion.

Actually, in account he not only express an opinion but demonstrates the
reasons for arriving at it. Opinion and conclusion are used synonymously

•QUALITY - A distinct or peculiar character. It used in describing

handwriting to refer to any identifying factor that is related to the writing
movement itself.

•SCIENCE - a body of eternalized knowledge for searching truth or facts.

•ART - Knowledge or experience and specialized studies. Skillful

adaptation and application of knowledge of the same purpose.
•TECHNIQUE - The quality of skill and execution of some artistic scientific works.

•QUALIFICATION – The professional experience, education and ability of

document examiner. Before he is permitted to testify as an expert witness, the
court must rule that he is qualified expert in his field.

•CERTIFICATION – The recognition of a particular level of professional

qualification. A national organization, the American Board of Forensic
Documents Examiners, Inc. has set up a certification program for the document
examiners based upon a review and testing of their qualification. This
nationwide program, established in 1878, will ultimately provide a register of
well – qualified document examiners.
KINDS OF DOCUMENTS
•PUBLIC DOCUMENTS – instruments notarized by a notary public or
competent officials with solemnities required by law

•OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS – Any instruments issued by the government or its

agents or its officers having the authority to do so, and the offices, which in
accordance with their creation, they are authorized to issue and be issued in
the performance of their duties.

•PRIVATE DOCUMENTS - Every deed or instruments executed by a private

persons, without the intervention of a notary public or any person legally
authorized by which documents, disposition or agreement is provided
evidence or set worth.

•COMMERCIAL DOCUMENTS - Any instruments executed in accordance

with the Code of Commerce.
CLASSES OF QUESTIONED DOCUMENTS
1. Documents with questioned signatures

2. Documents with containing alleged fraudulent alterations

3. Holograms documents questioned or disputed

4. Documents attacked in the questions of materials used in their production.

5. Documents attacked in the questions of their age or date.

6. Documents investigated on the questions of typewriting with a view of

a. Ascertaining their source
b. Determining their date
c. Determining their date
d. Determining whether or not they contain fraudulent alterations or
substitutes pages.

7. Document or writing investigated it is alleged that they identify a person

through handwriting .
8.
Genuine documents erroneously and fraudulently attacked.
 TECHNIQUES
IN THE EXAMINATION
OF
QUESTIONED DOCUMENTS
Microscope Examination - stereoscopic examination with low and high
power objectives is used to detect retouching, patching, and unnatural pen-
lift is 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 manipulation not perfectly
pictured to the unaided eye and the sequence of entries done by different
writing instrument.

Transmitted Light Examination - documents are objected the type of

examination to determine the presence of erasures, matching of serration
and some other types of alteration.

Oblique Light Examination - Decipherment of faded handwriting

determination of outlines in traced forgery, embossed impression etc, are
subjected to this type of examination.

Photographic Examination - This type of examination is very essential in every

document examination.
Ultra Violet Examination - This type of examination is
done in a darkroom after the lamp has been warned up
in order to give a maximum output of the ultra violet
light. Exposure to the ultra violet light should be
the minimum duration in order to avoid fading of some
writing ink and typewriter ribbon. The exposures of a
document the ultra violet light is useful when it consist
of several pages and substitution is being suspected.
The color and intensity of fluorescents reaction is very
apparent of substituted page. Mechanical and chemical
erasures will certainly change the reflectivity and
fluorescence of the area affected.
 KINDS
OF
EXAMINATION
Handwriting Examination - Including hand lettering and signatures.

Imprint Examination - Including those produce by manual devices (rubber

stamps, dater stamps and some cancellation stamps) mechanical devices
(typewriters and cheque writers) electronic printing devices (typewriter,
computer printers, time clock and cash registers) and including the manufacture
of counterfeits currencies, negotiable instruments, faxed documents licenses
and various personal credentials and identification documents.

Reprographic Examination - Including photocopies, facsimile reproductions,

machine generated writings and photographs.

Writing Media Examination - Including instruments, inks and papers.

Examination of Invisible faded, Obscured Writing and Impressions of

Writings - including those of charred documents.

Dating Examination - Including absolute determination (i. e., dates of

introduction of products) and relative determination (I, e., the sequence of ink
strokes with other ink strokes, printings, typewriting perforations and folds
Examination of Preternatural Paper Characteristics -
Including tears, fasteners, (i.e.,. paper clips and staples)
cuts and perforations.

Miscellaneous Examination - Including envelope

tampering, adhesives, laminations typists
characteristics and linguistics.
 INSTRUMENTS USE IN
THE EXAMINATION OF
QUESTIONED DOCUMENTS
Electrostatic Detection Apparatus (ESDA) - Detects indention/indented writings
Records transparencies of any indentations.

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.

Microscope - Is an instrument, which magnifies objects by means of lens\ lenses so as

to reveals details invisible to the naked eye.

Comparison Microscope – It allows side by side simultaneous comparison of

questioned and known under study.

Stereoscopic Microscope – It provides a three dimension enlargement of samples of

typewriting, crossed strokes, erasures, alteration and others.

Infrared Image Comparison Microscope - It provides instant comparison of inks and

their ability to absorb or reflect infrared light.

Handwriting Protractor - it is a special ruled protractor designed for the easy and
accurate measuring of the slant of writing.
Uniformed Ruled Squares on Glass, Letter and Numbered -This is a
glass with uniformed squares that can be place over an alleged
forgery and a model form to compare for enlarged typewritten
letters.

Transmitted Light Table - An opaque or clear glass mounted to a

frame wherein a strong light source is installed underneath.

Typewriting Test Plates on Glass for Alignment and Line Spacing

Test - Consist of a glass carrying accurately graduated fine line
squares. Then to an inch, the spacing ordinary typewriting

Angel Measure - An instrument used in measuring angles in

handwriting and typewriting the with of the angle is indicated at
the point and the steps are in degree of half degrees and the range
is 60 ˚ to 10˚.
 SCIENTIFIC METHOD
IN
QUESTIONED DOCUMENT
1. ANALYSIS – Properties or characteristics is observed or measured.

2. COMPARISON – Properties or characteristics of the unknown determined

through analysis are now compared with the familiar or recorded properties
of known entries.

3. EVALUATION – Similarities or dissimilarities in properties or characteristics

will each have a certain value for identification, determined by its likelihood
of occurrence. The weight or significance of each must therefore be
considered. The principle of identification requires that when two items
contain a combination of corresponding or similar and specifically oriented
characteristics of such number and significance as to preclude the possibility
of their occurrence by mere coincidence and there no unaccounted for
difference. It may be concluded that they are the same in their
characteristics attributed to the same cause.
 CRITERION FOR SCIENCE

ACCURACY – Refers to the correspondence

between results obtained and the truth.

PRECISION – A measure of the consistency of

results obtained in repeated study or
experimentation.
 DEFINITION
OF
HANDWRITING
Handwriting - Is the result of very complicated series of acts,
being used as a whole and combination of certain forms of
visible mental and muscular habits acquired by a long continued
painstaking effort. Some defined handwriting as “visible
speech”.

“According to Huber, it is an acquired skill and clearly

one that is a complex perceptual motor task, sometimes
referred as the nuero- muscular task. That out hand contains 27
bones controlled by more than the muscle”.
TWO KINDS OF MUSCLES
OF HANDS
EXTENSOR MUSCLE – Muscle that push up the pen to
form upward strokes.

FLEXOR MUSCLE – Muscle that push up the pen to form

downward strokes, Flexor and extensor combined
LUMBRICAL – muscle that form lateral strokes.

FOUR GROUPS OF MUSCLES EMPLOYED IN WRITING

1. Fingers
2. Wrist
3. Elbows
4. Shoulder
SIGNATURES
•Signature - Name of a person written in a document as a sign of
acknowledgement.

KINDS OF SIGNATURES
1. CONVENTIONAL SIGNATURE – signatures which are readable or
legible.
1. HIGHLY INDIVIDUAL SIGNATURE – Series of intertwining
strokes, flourishes and ornamentations.
 CLASSES OF SIGNATURES

1. FORMAL SIGNATURE – complete correct signature for an

important document such as WILL.
2. INFORMAL SIGNATURE – Signature for routine documents and
personal correspondence.
3. CARELESS SCRIBBLE – For the mail carrier, delivery boy or the
autograph collector.
 KINDS
OF
HANDWRITING
CHARACTERISTICS
CHARACTERISTICS - An property or mark that distinguishes and
in document examination commonly refers to identifying details.
1. Common/ Class Characteristics
- They are those which conformed to the general style
acquired when learning to write and which is fashionable at
the particular time and place. It is the style taught to the
child in school or by the parents. Not all characteristics
encountered is document examination are peculiar to a
single or thing but rather common to a group.

EXAMPLE OF COMMON CHARACTERISTICS

a. ordinary copy book form

b. usual systematic slant
c. ordinary scale of proportion and ratio
d. conventional spacing
 EXAMPLES OF COMMON CHARACTERISTICS OR
QUALITIES

1. Ordinary Copybook Form

2. Usual Systematic Slant

3. Ordinary Scale of Proportion

4. Conventional Spacing
2. Individual or Personal Characteristics
– Are those introduced into the handwriting, consciously
or unconsciously by the writer. They are highly personal or
peculiar and are unlikely to occur in other instances. This class of
characteristics are acquires either by:

a. outgrowth of definite teaching

b. result of imitation
c. accidental condition or circumstances
d. expression of certain mental and physical traits of
the writer as affected by education, environment and
by occupation.
 EXAMPLES OF
INDIVIDUAL OR PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS
a. hook to the right and hook to the left

b. shape, position, size and angle of “i” dots and “t” crossing

c. indiosyncracies

d. buckle and distinctive initial and final pen pressure

e. embellishment, added strokes and free movement

f. conventional spacing

g. abbreviation of letters

h. simple and compound curves and graceful endings

i. labored movement producing ragged lines

j. terminal shadings and forceful endings

k. presence of and influence of foreign handwriting

 EXAMPLES OF SOME OF THE
INDIVIDUAL
CHARACTERISTICS
1. Hook to the Right and Hook to the Left

2. Shape, Position, Size, and Angle of “i” Dots and “t”

Crossing
3. Idiosyncrasies

4. Bulbs and Distinctive Initial and Final Pen Pressure

5. Embellishment, Added Strokes and Free Movement

6. Abbreviation of Letters
7. Simple, Compound Curves and Graceful Endings

8. Labored Movement producing Ragged Lines

9. Terminal Shadings and Forceful Endings

10. Presence of Influence of Foreign Handwriting, i.e. the

introduction of Greek “e”
 VARIATION
IN
HANDWRITING
NATURAL HANDWRITING – Any specimen
of writing executed normally without an
attempt to control or alter its identifying habits
and its usual quality of execution. It is typical
writing of an individual.

NATURAL VARIATION - Normal or usual

deviation found between repeated specimens
of any individual handwriting.
CAUSES OF NATURAL HANDWRITING

 Due to the lack of machine-like precision of the human hand

 Caused by external factors such as writing instrument and

writing position

 Internal factors as influenced by physical and mental

conditions such as fatigue, intoxication, illness,
nervousness, age of the writer

 The quantity of writing prepared in the course of time

 CLASSES OF QUESTIONED DOCUMENT
1.Genuine signatures which the writer refuses to
admit as genuine.

2.Genuine signatures deliberately modified

(disguised writing)
DISGUISED SIGNATURES – a writer deliberately
try to alter his usual writing habits in hopes of
hiding his identity.

3. Forged signatures
FORGERY - How forgery is committed under 168 of RPC?
•By giving a treasury or banknote or any instrument payable to the bearer or to order
mentioned therein, the appearance of a true and genuine document.
•By erasing, substituting, counterfeiting or altering by any means the figures, words or
signs contained therein.

ELEMENT OF FORGERY
1. It must be shown that writing was falsely made or altered. It must be shown by the
document examiner by comparison of the signature with the true signature which it
purports to be. The forged instrument itself should be produced.

2. LEGAL LIABILITY – The signatures of writing must be in a nature which would, if

genuine, impose a legal liability on another or changes his legal rights or liability to
his prejudice.

3. IDENTIFY OF THE FORGER – It must be shown that it was the accused who falsely
made or altered the writing or who knowingly offered or issued the false instrument.

4. INTENT TO DEFRAUD – the intent to defraud another must be shown. It need not be
directed to a particular person or for advantages of the offender. The intent can be
inferred from the act. It must be shown that the suspect knew that the
instrument/document/ bank note he is offering are forgery.
1.Simple forgery (Spurious signature) - Forged signature
without the attempt to copy a genuine model, this kind of
forgery is easily detected as fraudulent in view of the fact that
is widely different from the genuine or even in general
appearance alone.

MODEL SIGNATURE – a genuine signatures that has been used

to prepare an imitated or traced forgery.

2. Traced Forgery – This means following the outline of

genuine signatures. This are generally created by one of four
methods; transmitted light, carbon intermediate, pressure
indented image, and tracing paper technique.
 KINDS OF TRACED FORGERY
1. CARBON PROCESS (CARBON OUTLINE) – It denotes that the forgery interleaves a
carbon paper between the genuine signatures (top sheet) and the document
intended to be forged (bottom sheet). The outline of the model or genuine
signatures is traced with a dry pen or any sharp pointed instrument with
considerable pressure to make a carbon out line on the fraudulent document.

2. INDENTATION PROCESS – is that type whereby indentations of canal-like outlines

of the genuine signatures is produced by the fraudulent document (bottom sheet)
by tracing the outline of the genuine signatures (top sheet) with considerable
pressure with any sharp pointed instrument. The indented first retraced with
pencil very lightly before it is finally “inked-in”.

3. TRANSMITTED LIGHT PROCESS – fraudulent document is placed immediately

above the genuine document (signature) and with strong light directed through
the two super imposed sheets of paper from under with transparent glass used as
writing surface, the outline which is seen thru the upper sheet is then traced with
any suitable writing instrument.

4. SIMULATED FORGERY (FREE-HAND FORGERY) – An act of simulating or imitating

the genuine signatures. It used by forgers who have a certain skill in writing, after
some practice, the forger tries to write a copy of the model quickly
 INDICATION OF FORGERY
1. Hesitation and pen stops at un usual places.
HESITATION – irregular thickening of the inked line when the writing is slow down or stops
while a penman takes stocks of the position.
2. Abrupt changes of direction of lines or strokes, showing uncertainty of movement.
3. Concealed joining
4. Blunt initial and terminal strokes.
BLUNT – is the beginning or ending stroke of the letter both small and capital letter in which
the pen touched the paper with out hesitation, beard, hitch or knob.
5. Misplaced shadings
6. Lack of variation in pen pressure
7. Defective line quality – presence of tremors, re-touching and poor line quality.
LINE QUALITY – the over all character of the inked line from the beginning to the ending
strokes.
8. Careful patching or re-touching
PATCHING (re-touching) – going back over a defective portion of a writing stroke. Careful
patching is a common defect in forgeries.
9. Un-natural tremors
TREMORS – a writing weakness portrayed by irregular and shaky strokes.
10. Presence of carbon, pencil or indentations along the lines of strokes.
11. Un-natural pen-lifts.
PEN-LIFTS – an interpretation in a stroke caused by removing the writing instrument from
the paper.
12. Drawn quality and devoid of free and normal writing movement.
 CHARACTERISTIC OF GENUINE SIGNATURES

 Degree of Skill - genuine signature even if showing tremors will show some free
connecting and terminal strokes.
SKILL – in any act there are relative degrees of ability or skill. It refers to the writer’s
proficiency in the art of writing.

 Firmness of strokes - In genuine signatures hesitation and pen- stops are in natural
places.
STROKE STRUCTURES – series of lines or curves of the individual letters of alphabet.

 Habitual Speed of Writing - Even in slow and unskillful signatures, there is consistency
in speed.
SPEED OF WRITING – not everyone writes at the same rate so that consideration of the
speed of writing maybe a significant identifying element. Writing speed cannot be
measured precisely from the finished handwriting but can be interpreted in broad
term as slow, moderate or rapid

 Fundamental Muscular Movement - In genuine signatures the upward stroke show

more smoothness and freedom than the downward strokes.
5. PATTERN OF SHADING AND PEN EMPHASIS
SHADING – A widening of the ink stroke due to added pressure on a flexible
pen point or the use of a stub pen.
PEN EMPHASIS – An act of intermittently forcing the pen against the paper
surfaces with increased pressure. When the pen point has flexibility this
emphasis produces shading but with more rigid writing point such as ball
point pens heavy pen emphasis can occur in writing without any evidence
of shading.

6. PRESENCE OF NATURAL VARIATIONS - no two signatures of an individual are

exactly a like.

7. COORDINATION, CONTINUITY AND RHYTHM

RHYTHM – is the following succession of motion, which are recorded or the
harmonious recurrence of stress or impulse. It maybe classed as smooth,
intermittent or jerky in its quality

8.CARELESSNESS
 SPECIMEN TO BE SUBMITTED FOR THE SIGNATURES EXAMINATION
1. Original document
2. Contemporaneous date of the standard signatures maximum of five (5) years before
and after the execution of questioned signatures;
3. At least eight (8) standard signatures appearing at different documents.
4. Similar style/kinds of signatures, i.e. Conventional to conventional; highly individualize
to highly individualize.
STANDARD OR EXEMPLARS
STANDARD – known writings which indicate how a person writes

STANDARD – a condensed and compact sett of authentic specimens which, if adequate

and proper, should contain a true cross section of the material from a known source.
They are used by the document examiner as the basis for his identification or non-
identification of the questioned document as fro example the known handwriting
which serves to establish who wrote the disputed letter.

SAMPLE – a selected, representative portion of the whole, these terms follows closely the
statistical usage.

REFERRENCE SELECTION – material compiled and organized by document examiner to

assist him in answering special questions. Reference collection of type writing, check
writer specimen, ink, pencil and paper frequently maintained.
 CLASSES OF HANDWRITING STANDARDS
1. COLLECTED STANDARD – known handwriting of a person
written in the course of his daily life, business, social or
personal affairs such as signatures and endorsement on
cancelled check, commercial, official, public and private
documents and letters.
2. REQUESTED STANDARD – signatures or other writings written
by individual upon the request of the investigator for purposes
of comparison with other handwritings, hand printing and
signatures.
3. POST LITEM MOTAM Exemplars – Writings produced by the
subject after evidential writings have come into dispute and
solely for the purpose of establishing his contentions
Court room demonstration where the writer gives a
sample which a checked within an hour to a day or more by the
questioned document examination expert.
 BASIS OF HANDWRITING IDENTIFICATION

1. RECOGNITION OF HANDWRITING CHARACTERISTICS - one must

acquire the ability to distinguish what are the style and individual
characteristics which are normal and disguised.

2. COMPARISON OF HANDWRITING CHARCTERISTICS – make

allowances for the presence of natural variation in handwriting.

3. EVALUATION OF HANDWRITING CHARCATERISTICS FOR OPINION

PURPOSE – Evaluate the significance and number of similarities and
dissimilarities in handwriting.

MOVEMENT - An important element of handwriting, it embraced all the

factors related to the motion of the writing instrument – skill, speed,
freedom, hesitation, rhythm, pen emphasis, tremor and the like. The
manner in which the writing instrument is moved, that s finger, hand. Or
arm action may influence each of these factors.
 BASIS OF HANDWRITING IDENTIFICATION

1. RECOGNITION OF HANDWRITING CHARACTERISTICS - one must

acquire the ability to distinguish what are the style and individual
characteristics which are normal and disguised.

2. COMPARISON OF HANDWRITING CHARCTERISTICS – make

allowances for the presence of natural variation in handwriting.

3. EVALUATION OF HANDWRITING CHARCATERISTICS FOR OPINION

PURPOSE – Evaluate the significance and number of similarities and
dissimilarities in handwriting.

MOVEMENT - An important element of handwriting, it embraced all the

factors related to the motion of the writing instrument – skill, speed,
freedom, hesitation, rhythm, pen emphasis, tremor and the like. The
manner in which the writing instrument is moved, that s finger, hand. Or
arm action may influence each of these factors.
 KINDS OF MOVEMENT
1, FINGER MOVEMENT – method of writing in which the letters are made almost
entirely by the action of the thumb and the first and second fingers. It is usually
employed by children and illiterates.
2. HAND MOVEMENT – produced in most part by the whole hand.
3. FOREARM MOVEMENT – writing produced mainly from the shoulder; but it is
the movement of the hand and arm supported at a desk.
4. WHOLE ARM MOVEMENT - writings using the whole arm usually employed in
large writing , ornamental pen ship And blackboard writing.
CLASSIFICATION OF MOVEMENT
1. As to quality
a. clumsy, illiterate and halting
b. hesitating and painful due to weakness/illness
c. strong, heavy and forceful
d. nervous, and irregular
e. smooth, flowing and rapid
2. As to speed
a. Slow and drawn
b. deliberate
c. average
d. rapid
 SUGGESTED STEPS IN THE EXAMINATION OF SIGNATURES

Step 1 – Place the questioned document and the standard document in a juxta
position (side by side) for a simultaneous viewing of the various elements and
characteristics.

Step 2 – The first element to be considered is MOVEMENT employed or

manner of execution (slow, deliberate, rapid, etc.) the fundamental difference
existing between a genuine signatures and almost perfect forgery is in the
manner of execution.

Step 3 – Second element to examine is quality of line, presence of tremors,

smooth fluent or hesitant. Defect in line quality is only appreciated when
simultaneous viewing is made
LINE QUALITY – A term characterizing the visible record in the written
stroke of the basic movement and manner of holding the writing instrument. It is
derived from the combination factors including writing skill, speed, rhythm,
freedom of movement and pen position.
PEN POSITION – The relationship between the pen point and the
paper specifically the angle between the nibs of the pen and the paper surface
are the elements of pen position.
TREMORS – writing weakness portrayed by irregular shaky strokes.
 KINDS OF TREMORS
A. Natural Tremors – fine tremors
a. tremors of illness/aged
b. tremors of illiteracy
c. tremors of nervousness
B. Tremor of Fraud
CHARACTERISTIC OF TREMOR OF FRAUD
1. In equality in movement at any place in any strokes or line with strokes too strong
and vigorous combined with eaweak, hesitating strokes.
2. Frequent interruption of movement
3. Un equal distribution of ink on upward and downward strokes.
4. Varying pen pressure, due to change in speed and interruption in movement,
which may occur in the middle of direct curves or even in what should be straight
line
5. Too many pen-lifts and pen-lifts on wrong places.

Step 4 – Examine the beginning and ending strokes lines, they are very significant.
Determine whether the appearance is blunt, club-shaped, tampered or vanishing.
INITIAL STROKE – this refer to the starting stroke in handwriting
ENDING OR TERMINAL STROKE – the last or vanishing stroke in a signature
 EXAMPLES IF INITIAL AND TERMINAL STROKE

1. BEARD – a rudimentary curved initial strokes

2. BLUNT – beginning or ending of stroke of letter both small and capital in which
the pen touched the paper without hesitation, beard, hitch or knob
3. KNOB – extra deposit of ink in the initial and terminal strokes due to withdrawal
of the pen from the paper. Rounded appearance at the beginning or ending
strokes.
4. HITCH – the introductory backward strokes added to the beginning and ending
of many capital letters or small letters.
5. HOOK – the bend, crook, curve on the inner side of the bottom of the loop or
curve of a small letter.
6. SPUR – short horizontal beginning stroke.
7. BLUNT TERMINAL STROKE – terminal stroke diminishes abruptly
8. TAMPERING TERMINAL STROKES (FLYING) – the width of the strokes
diminishes abruptly

Step 5 – Design and stroke of the letter determine the roundness, smoothness,
angularity and direction. Each individual letter has a different concept of letter
design
STROKE STRUCTURE – series of lines , curves and angles of individual
letters of the alphabet.
FORM – most basic of individual characteristic from is the pictorial
representation of a letter or writing movement.
BODY – part of the letter ordinarily form by small circle that usually lies on
the line of writing as bodies.
HUMP – the rounded outside top of a bend crook or curve in a small letters.
BUCKLE KNOT – the horizontal loop that are often used to complete such
letter as A, B, H and K.
EYE LOOP or EYE LET – the small loop formed by stroke that extends in
divergent direction.
MAIN STROKE OR SHANK STEM – downward stroke of any letter
ASCENDER – top portion of a letter on the upper loop
ARCH – is the bend, crook or curve in the inner side of the loop.
LIGATURE – a stroke connecting two letter.
MINUSCULE – a small letter
MAJUSCULE – a capital letter
SPLICING – slight overlapping of two strokes after an interruption in the
writing. It may be a part of imitated, fraudulent signatures that are prepared
one or two letters at a time.
 KINDS OF STROKE STRUCTURE
1. Initial stroke
2. Connecting stroke
a. circular
b. angular
c. elliptical
3. Terminal stroke – final stroke

Step 6 – Look for the presence of retouching or patching

RETOUCHING (PATCHING) – going back over a defective portion of a writing
stroke. Careful patching is a common defect in forgeries.
RETRACING - any stoke that goes back over another writing stroke. In natural
writing there are maybe instances in which the pen doubles back over the same
course but some retracing in fraudulent signatures represent as re-working of a
letter form or stroke.

Step 7 – Connecting strokes, slant, size, lateral spacing

SLANT – an angle or inclination of the axis of letters relative to the base line
BASELINE – the ruled or imaginary line upon which the writing rests.
ALIGNMENT – is the relation of parts of the whole line in writing, or line of
individual letter/s. Arrangement of words relative to the base line
 KINDS OF ALIGNMENT
A. On the line
B. Above the line
C. Below the line
D. Ascending
E. Descending

SIZE – relation between the tall and short letters

HABIT – Any repeated element or detail that may serve to individualize
writing
HIATUS – special form of pen-lift, distinguishable in that a perceptible
gap appear in writing, through sometimes hiatus are caused by failure
of ink register on a paper due to speed of writing movement.

Step 8 – Do not rely so much in the similarity or difference of the capital

letters, for these are often changed according to the whim of the writer.
 KINDS OF HANDWRITING
1. CUTSIVE – writing in which the letters are for the most joined together
2. SCRIPT – disconnected and combination of capital and small letters
3. BLOCK OR PRINTED – disconnected and purely capital letters

EXAMPLES OF HANDWRITING
A. Anonymous letter
B. Threat letter
C. Extortion letter
D. Suicide notes

POINTS TO CONSIDER IN EXAMINATON OF EXTENDED WRITING

1. Uniformity
2. Irregularities
3. Size and proportion
4. Alignment
5. Spacing
6. Degree of slant
7. Weight of strokes
8. T- bars and I dots
9. The needle, the wedge, the round, the flat
10. Loops
11. Circle formation/s 12. Initial and final strokes
 COMMON TERMS AND
DESCRIPTION
1. ARC or ARCH
-Any arcade form in the body of the letter.
2. BEARD
-A rudimentary curved initial strokes
usually in capital letters.
3. BLUNT ENDING/BEGINNING
-Blunt ending and initial strokes are result
of the drawing process in forgery.
4. BUCKLE KNOT
-The horizontal and looped strokes that are
often used to complete such letter.
5. CENTRAL PART or BODY
-The part of a letter ordinarily formed by a
small circle that usually lies on the line of
writing.
6. EYE LOOP or EYELET
-The small loop formed by the strokes that
extend in divergent directions.
7. FOOT OF THE LETTER or OVAL
-The lower portion of any down strokes that
terminates on the baseline.
8. DIACRITIC
-An element added to complete certain
letters.
9. HITCH
-The introductory backward stroke added to
the beginning or ending of many capital
letters or small letters.
10. HOOK or THROUGH
-The bend, crook, or curve on the inner side of the bottom
loop or curve of a small letter. A minute and involuntary
talon – like formation often found at the commencement of
an initial stroke, upstroke, or at the end of the terminal.
12. SPUR
-Short horizontal beginning stroke.
11. HUMP
-The rounded outside top of the bend,
crook, or curve in small letters.
13. KNOB
-Rounded appearance of the beginning or
ending stroke.
14. MAIN STROKE or SHANK STEM
-Downward strokes of any letter.
15. WHIRL
-The upward stroke usually on letters that
have long loops.
16. SPACE FILLER or TERMINAL SPUR
-An upward horizontal or downward final
stroke usually seen in small letters.
TYPEWRITER IDENTIFICATION
•Single Element Typewriter – Typewriter using either a type ball or type wheel printing
device. The IBM selection machine was the first modern typewriter of the group.

•Word Processing Unit – Any typewriter or other printing unit that is combined with a
memory system and is thus capable of automatic typewriting pr repetitive typewriting of
certain matter. Materiel can be stored on disks, tapes or memory chips.

•Escapement – The spacing along the line of typewriting, that is, the basic letter spacing
also termed pitch.

•Character – In connection with typewriting identification, letters, symbols, numerals and

points of punctuation.

•Platen – The cylinder that serves as the backing for the paper and absorbs the blow from
the typeface.

•Type Ball – A device containing all the typefaces of some single element typewriters and
which by rotation and tilting prints the type.

•Type Element – The type ball or type wheel of a single element typewriter.
•Type Wheel – In modern use, series of characters mounted on flexible arms
around a circular core. The wheel rotates to position each type which is printed
by a plunger striking against the back of the typeface forcing it against the ribbon
and the paper.

•Clogged Typeface – With use the typefaces become filled with tint, dirt, and
ink, particularly in enclosed letters such as “o”, “e”, “p”, and “g”. If this condition
is allowed to progress without cleaning, there comes a time when the written
impressions actually print with the clogged areas shaded or solid back.

•Off-its-feet – The condition of a typeface printing heavier on one side or corner

than the remainder of its outline

•Typeface – The printing surface of the type block or type element. On the type
bar machine the type block is attached on arm, known as the type bar.

•Twisted Letter – Each character is designed to print at a certain fixed angle to

the baseline. Wear and damage to the type bars and the type block may cause
some letters to become twisted so that they lean to the right or left of their
correct slant.
•Carbon Impression – Any typewriting placed on the paper by the
action of the typefaces striking through carbon paper. Generally,
carbon impressions are “carbon copies” but sometimes original
typewriting is made directly through a carbon paper film ribbon.

•Ribbon Impression – Typewriting made directly through a cloth

carbon film is called ribbon impression. Original typewriting is
made in this way.

•Ribbon Condition – Cloth or multiple-use typewriter ribbons

gradually deteriorate with use, and the degree of deterioration is a
measure of the ribbon condition.
 CLASS CHARCTERISTIC IN TYPEWRITING
1. CLASS CHARACTERISTICS – Characteristic common to a group.
example; same type face, same design
2. ACCIDENTAL CHARACTERISTICS – these are what we call the defects of the typewriter.
DEFECTS – any abnormality or mal-adjustment in a typewriter that is reflected in its
works and lead to its individualization or identification
MACHINE DEFECTS – any defect in typewriting resulting from the malfunctioning of the
machine rather than the type bar or type element.
ALIGNMENT DEFECT- characters that write improperly in the following respects; a
twisted letter; horizontal mal-alignment; vertical mal-alignment or a character “off its
feet”. These defects can be corrected by special adjustments to the type block on A
type bar machine
PERMANENT DEFECT – any identifying characteristics of a typewriter that cannot be
corrected by simply clearing the type face or replacing the ribbon. Actually this term
is not absolutely accurate, since all defects in typewriters undergo modification and
change with time.
A. MECHANICAL DEFECTS
1. Irregular left margin
2. Regular mal alignment of some letters (vertical and horizontal)
VERTIVAL MAL ALIGMENT–the result of a character printing above or below
its proper position
HORIZONTAL MAL ALIGNMENT – An alignment defect in which the character
prints to the rights or left of its proper position.
3. Irregular horizontal alignment due to uneven grip of the platen.

B. TYPE FACE DEFECTS – any peculiarity in typerwriting results from actual

damage to the type face metal. An actual break in the outline of the letter where
metal is chipped away and distorted.
1. Battered type face defect
2. OFF ITS FEET – the condition of a type face printing heavier on one side or
corner that the remainder of its outline.
3. Titled to the right or tilted to the left.
4. REBOUND OF LETTERS – a defect in which a character prints a double
impression with the lighter one slight offset to the right or left.
5. Missing Serif
6. Uneven pressure of letters

C. TRANSITORY DEFECT – An identifying type writer characteristic that can be

eliminated by cleaning the machine or replacing the ribbon . Clogged face are
the most common defects of this class.
1. Filling up of hollow of letters a, e, g, p, q, from debris of ribbon.
2. Dirty type faces (clogged type faces)
3. Worn ribbon.
PICA TYPE FACE – type face impression ordinarily spaced ten (10) characters to
the horizontal inch.

ELITE TYPE FACE – type face impression ordinarily spaced twelve (12) character to
the horizontal inch.

ACTUAL BREAKAGE – any peculiarity of type writing caused by actual damage to

the type face , metal which maybe actual breakage in the line of the letters.

CHEQUE WRITING MACHINE – a devise which is extended to prevent either

erasure or alteration of the entire cheque.

ENGRAVED PRINTING – letterhead and other matter that are printed from a
metal plate containing an etched design, for example with this type of work the
ink is slightly raised above the surface of the paper.

LITHOGRAPHIC OR OFFSET PRINTING – printing from a smooth surface plate that

has been treated so that the printing areas are ink attracting and the non-printing
areas are ink repelling. Originally the process used a smooth stone surface but
today most offset printing is prepared from specially treated zinc or paper plates.
 COMPUTER PRINT OUT CLASSES OF HIGH SPEED PRINTERS
1. MATRIX PRINTER – distinctive, forming letters and numerical as pattern as
pattern of DOTS by a series of printing rods. The design of characters and
their defective elements permit the identification of a particular matrix type

2. IMPACT PRINTER – single element type head, similar to selective type ball or
wheel type printer, chain printer and the drum, IBM and Univac use the type
ball units.

3. NON-IMPACT PRINTER – Xerox and Diablo use a flywheel with type face
attached to short plastic or mental arms.
Alteration - Any document that contains some change, either as an addition or a
deletion.
CHEMICAL ALTERATION
ADDITION
DECIPHERMENT
Blank paper - A sheet of paper that contains no visible or readily visible writing. At times
a blank paper may contain impressed or latent writing that can be made legible with
proper treatment.

Charred Documents - A document that has become blackened and brittle through
burning or through exposure or through exposure to excessive heat.
Decipherment - The process of making out what is illegible or what has been effaced.
Process of reading or interpreting the erased or obliterated material that is illegible
without actually developing or restoring the original writing on the document itself.

Efface - To rub out, to strike or scratch out, or to erase.

Erasure - The removal of writing, typewriting or printing from a document. It maybe

accomplished by either of two means, a chemical eradication in which the writing
removed or bleached by chemical agents, e.g. Liquid ink eradicator, or an abrasive
erasure in which the writing is effected by rubbing, with a rubber erasure or scratching
out with a knife.
A. CHEMICAL ERADICATION – in which the writing removed or bleached by chemical
agents. e.g liquid ink eradicator.
B. MECHANICAL ERASURE (ABRAISIVE ERASURE) – in which the writing is effected by
rubbing , with a rubber eraser or scratching out with a knife.

INSERTION – the addition of writing and other material with in a document such as
between lines or paragraphs or the addition of whole pages to a document.

INTERLINEATION – the act of inserting writing or type writing between two lines of
writing.

Obliteration - The blotting out or smearing over a of writing to make the original
invisible or undecipherable.

Restoration - Any process in which erased writing is developed or brought out again on
the document itself.

Sequence of Strokes - The order in which writing strokes are placed on the paper.

Smeared over Writing - An obliteration accompanied by covering the original writing

with an opaque substance.
Ink - A colored fluid or viscous marking material used for writing or printing.

Secret Ink- A material used for writing which is not visible until treated by some
developing process or substances can serve or sympathetic ink.

Synthetic dye inks - Any ink consisting simply of a dye dissolved in water together with
the necessary preservatives. Various dyes are used in commercial ink manufacture today.
The aniline dyes were the first of these, and some writers still refer to inks of this class as
“Aniline Inks”. .

Blue- black Ink - The class fluid ink that writes blue and darkness with age to a neutral
gray or black. It contains a blue dye, but the permanent marking substances are almost-
color less iron tennates and gallates which gradually darken after exposure to air. Ink - A
colored fluid or viscous marking material used for writing or printing.

Secret Ink- A material used for writing which is not visible until treated by some
developing process or substances can serve or sympathetic ink.
Carbon Ink - Inks of the carbon class, consisting of finely ground carbon particles
suspended in water. Their manufacture dates from antiquity and they are still used as
drawing inks and very occasionally as writing inks.

Dye Inks - Also synthetic dye inks.

Iron tannate or Iron - base ink- also blue- black ink.

Non aqueous ink - Ink in which the pigment or dye is carried in any vehicle other than
water. Inks of this class are found in ball point pens, typewriting ribbons and stamp pads,
and are widely used in the printing industry.

SECRET INK - a material used for writing which is not visible until treated by some
developing process or substances can serve as a secret or sympathetic ink.

INDIAN INK – oldest from of indian ink consisted of a suspension of carbon black (soot or
lamp black) in water to which glue or a vegetable gum was added.

LOGWOOD INK – now obsolete and no longer manufactured. They were made from an
aqueous ink extract of logwood chips and potassium chromate. These inks will be found
only on old documents.
IRON GALLOTANATE INKS – it is corrosive because of its acid reaction. Inks with low iron
content are put on the market as SCHOOL INK. A writing ink with a very high iron
gallotanate content (.5 to .6) is sometimes called DOCUMENT INK.

FOUNTAIN PEN INKS – these inks are regarded as special fountain pen inks and consisting
Ordinary iron gallotanate inks. This type of ink placed on the market under the name of
BLUE-BLACK permanent, Parker Quick Permanent, Pelikan Fullha (tertinate).

DYESTUFF INKS – these are composed of aqueous solution of synthetic dyestuff to which a
preservative and a flux are added. The writing qualities of the ink are improved by
addition of substance such as glycerol, glucose or dextrin.

WATER RESISTANT, WRITING and DRAWING INKS – these inks are special group of dyestuff
inks. Sometimes the pigment suspension is combined with acid or basic dyestuff.

ALKALINE WRITING INKS – these are quick inks which possesses a of from 9 to about 11.
they penetrate quickly into the paper. The best known of these inks are the PARKER
SUPERCHROME INKS, which in the color black, blue-black, blue, red and green.

STAMP PAD INKS – they are made with the aid of substances such as glycerol, glycol,
acetone or benzyl alcohol and water. Aniline dyes are added as coloring matter. Through
the addition of tannin, the stamp impression becomes water resistant after drying
HECTOGRAPH INKS – these inks very much resemble stamp pad inks
are exclusively made with basic dyes.

TYPEWRITER RIBBON INKS – these inks are usually composed of a

blend of aniline dyes, carbon black and an oil such as olein re caster
oil.

PRINTING INKS – consists of a mixture of colored pigments, carbon

black and a base which may consist of oil, resins, synthetic resins or
a mixture of these.

CANCELLING INKS – it often contain carbon. This can be usually

detected by infra-red photograph which will reveal the traces of
carbon, which almost invariably remain to the stamp.

SKRIP INK – it is manufactured by a W.A. Sheaffer Pen Company

since 1955.
 WRITING INSTRUMENT

Pencil - A writing instrument in which the marking portion consist of a compressed

stick of graphite or colored marking substances usually mixed with days and waxes.

Pencil grade - A qualitative description of the hardness or softness of a pencil, that is

how dark a stroke it is capable of making.

Colored pencil - A pencil whose marking pigment is not black

Copy pencil - A pencil whose marking substances consist of a mixture of graphite and
an aniline dye. When the pencil stroke is moistened the dye develops into a strong
purple or, in some case, a blue color. The developed stroke is more difficult to erase
than ordinary writing. Some refer to this kind of writing instrument as an indelible
pencil.

Indelible ink - See copy pencil

Pen - Any writing instrument used to apply inks to the paper.

Pen nib - One of two divisions or points that form the writing portion of a dip pen or
fountain pen.

Porous tip pen - A modern writing instrument in w/c the marking element or point consist
of a porous material through which the ink can flow. These pens are commonly known as
fiber tip of felt tip pens or maybe referred to as oft tip pens.

Felt tip pen - see porous tip pen

Fiber tip pen - also porous tip pen

Ball point pen - A writing instrument having as its marking tip a small, truly rotating ball
bearing that rolls the ink onto the paper. Many of these pens use a highly viscous, non
aqueous ink, but in recent years construction of some pens has been adapted to use water-
based inks.

Hard point pen - A modern writing instrument in which the point is a perforated plastic
unit. It uses as water- based ink and produces a stroke similar to the porous tip pen, but is
capable of making carbon copies like a ball point or roller pen.

Fountain Pen - A modern nib pen containing a reservoir of ink in a specially designed
chamber or cartridge. After complete filling the pen maybe used to write a number of pages
without refilling.
Flexibility of pen point - A quality of the nib pen that varies with different pens and can
be measured by the amount of pressure necessary to cause a spreading of the nibs or given
degree of shading.

Roller pen - A type of ball point pen that uses aqueous ink.

Quill Pen - Writing instrument made from the writing feathers of the goose and swan.

Surface Texture of paper - The surface of any sheet of paper when viewed under
magnification is not absolutely smooth and flat, but irregular and rough. Surface Texture
described this property.

Paper - A material manufactured in thin sheets from the pulp of wood or other fibrous
substances used for writing or drawing or drawing.

Papyrus - A writing material prepared in ancient Egypt from the pithy stems of papyrus
plant.
Parchment - An animal skin (goat or sheep) prepared as a writing or printing material.
Earliest writing instrument of gravity leading of ink.

Vellum- Parchment made from young calves and kids.

Paper Analysis - The application of chemicals on the paper to determine its component
whether or not it came from the same source.

Safety paper - The term is applied to paper which has been treated in such way to
minimize the chances of successful forgery by erasure whether mechanical or chemical
being carried out in any document which forms the basis.

Surface Texture of paper - the surface of any sheet of paper when viewed under
magnification is not absolutely smooth and flat, but irregular and rough. Surface texture
describes the property.

Look through of paper – the appearance of paper when viewed by transmitted light, thus
disclosing the texture or information of the sheet.
 PHOTOGRAPHS
AND
OTHER REPRODUCTION
Micro photograph - Copies at a greatly reduced scale on small film sizes. They are
used in certain commercial record system. Throughout this text the term designates
copies made on 35mm and smaller film sizes. The line of demarcation has been chosen
arbitrary and may not necessarily agree with views of other writers.

Photo micrographs - A photograph made trough a compound microscope and maybe

a greatly enlarged image of a small area. A similarly enlarged photograph maybe
prepared with only a lens of very short focal length and is accurately termed a photo
macrograph.

Photo micro graphy - This is a containing photographic magnification of a minute

object by using camera attached to a compound microscope. The camera lens is
removed because the microscope lens forms the image.

Photo Macrography – this is the process of obtaining a magnified photograph of small

object without the use of microscope but by using short lens (macro lens) and a long
billow extension.
Photographic negative - The transparency produced when black and white film is
exposed in a camera then developed. The term is derived from the appearance and the
transparency in which the areas of the original appear the darkest or most opaque,
while the darkest portions of the original are almost clear. With color film the light-
dark reversal is coupled with a change of colors to the complements of those in the
original material.

Photographic – positive - print made by passing light through the negative generally
unto photographic paper. In this print the tonal values are directly proportional to
those of the original, that is light areas of the original appear light and dark areas dark.

Photostat - A commercial reproduction in which a negative copy while writing on a

black background, is made directly on photosensitive paper. The process employs a
special camera equipped with a lens and inverting prism.

Cut-out Exhibit – A photographic exhibit made up of words and letter cut from
photographs of different documents and arranged side by side. Some writers refer to
those

Display Exhibit – a photographic court exhibit designed to be held and examined by the
individual juror or a pair of jurors.
Projection Prints – a print made by focusing light from the negative on the printing paper
by beans of a lens system. These positive are generally enlargement

Prints – a photographic positive

COUNTERFEITING
PERTINENT LAWS AND REGULATINS TO PROTECTS AND MAINTAIN THE INTEGRITY OF
THE CURRENCY
1. Art. 163, Revised Penal Code (RPC) – making and importing and uttering (issuing or
circulating) false coins.
2. Art. 166. Revised Penal Code (RPC) – forging treasury or bank note on other
documents payable to bearer, importing and uttering such false or forged notes and
document.
3. Art. 168, Revised Penal code (RPC) – illegal possession and use of false treasury or
bank notes and other instruments of credit
4. Art 176, RPC – Manufacturing and possession of instrument or implements for
falsification.
5. PD 247 – Defacement, mutilation, tearing, burning or destruction of central bank
notes and coins (BSP)
6. Chapter 11, Circular 61, Series of 1995 – Production and or use of facsimile of legal
tender Philippines Currency Notes.
7. Chapter 111, Circular 61, Series of 1995 – Reproduction and or use of facsimiles of
legal tender Philippines currency coins.
 GENUINE
BSP CURRENCY
PAPER
Feel the paper - The genuine note is printed on a special kind of paper which is rough
when you run your fingers through it. It does not glow under the ultra- violet light.
During paper manufacture, the watermark, security fibers and iridescent band are
included.

WATERMARK
Examine the watermark on the unprinted portion of the note - The watermark is the
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 relatively new notes.
SECURITY FIBERS
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

EMBEDDED SECUIRTY THREAD

View the embedded security thread - The embedded security thread is a special
thread implanted off center of the note during paper manufacture. This can 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, 200’s, 500’s and 1000’s.
WINDOWED SEURIT THREAD
Viewed the windowed security thread on the improved version of 100’s, 500’s and
1000 - piso notes and the new 2000-piso notes - The windowed security thread is
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 of view.

IRIDESCENT BAND
Look for the iridescent band on the improved version off 100’s, 500’s and 1000-piso
notes and the new 200-piso notes - A wide glistening gold vertical stripe with the
numerical value printed in series.
PORTRAIT
Recognize the portrait - Appears life-like. The eyes “sparkle”. Shading are formed by
the lines that give the portrait a characteristics facial expression which is extremely
difficult to replicate.

SERIAL NUMBER
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 spaced 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.
BACKGROUND/ LACEWORK DESIGN
Scan the background/ lacework design - the background designs are made up of
multicolored and well defined lines. The lacework designs are composed of web-
crisscrossing lines which are continuous and traceable even at the intersection.

VIGNETTE
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.
VALUE PANEL
Check the numbers found at the four corners of the front and back of the note - The
numerals denote the denomination of the note.

FLUORESCENT PRINTING
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 ultraviolet light.
MICRO PRINTING
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.
CONCEALED VALUE
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 recognize when the
note is held at eye level.
OPTICALLY VARIABLE Ink
Check the optically variable ink on the 10000-piso denomination - It changes color
from green to blue or blue to green when the note is held at different angles.