COLEGIO DE SANTA CATALINA DE ALEJANDRIA

Bishop Epifanio Surban Street, Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental

College of Criminal Justice Education

Bachelor of Science in Criminology

FORENSIC 4
QUESTIONED DOCUMENT EXAMINATION

PREPARED BY:

MRS. JOCELYN BACO-MACAPANGAL, RCRIM

Document Defined

Generally, defined as any material containing marks, symbols, or signs either visible, or partially
visible that may present or ultimately convey a meaning to someone, maybe in the form of pencil, ink
writing, typewriting, or printing on paper.

Legal Definitions of Document

1 Any written document by which a right is established or an obligation is extinguished (People vs.
Moreno, CA, 338 O.G. 119);
2 Every deed or instrument executed by person by whom some disposition or agreement is proved,
evidenced or set forth (People vs. Nillosquin, CA, 48 O.G. 4453) ;
3 In relation to Criminal Jurisprudence under the Best evidence rule, document refers to any physical
embodiment of information of ideas (e.g. a letter, a contract, a receipt, a book of account, a blue print,
or an X-ray plate)

Kinds of documents

a PUBLIC DOCUMENT- notarized by a notary public or competent public official with solemnities
required by law. (Cacnio vs. Baens, 5Phil.742)
b OFFICIAL DOCUMENT- issued by the government or its agents or its officers having the authority
to do and the offices, which in accordance with their creation, they are authorized to issue and be
issued in the performance of their duties.
c PRIVATE DOCUMENT- executed by a private person without the intervention of a notary public or
of any person legally authorized, by which documents some disposition or agreement is proved,
evidenced or set forth (US vs. Orera, 11Phil.596).
d COMMERCIAL DOCUMENT- executed in accordance with the Code of Commerce or a Mercantile
Law, containing disposition of commercial rights or obligations.
 If a private document is intended to become a part of the public record and
falsified prior thereto, the crime committed is falsification of a public document

Writings Which Do Not Constitute Document

a A draft of a Municipal payroll which is not yet approved by the proper authority (People vs.
Camacho, 44Phil. 484)
b Mere blank forms of official documents, the spaces of which are not filled up (People vs. Santiago,
CA, 48 O.G. 4558)
c Pamphlets or books which do not evidence any disposition or agreement are not documents but
are mere merchandise (People vs. Agnis, 47 Phil. 945)
Concept of Questioned Document

Questioned document is one in which the facts appearing therein may not be true, and are contested
either in whole or part with respect to its authenticity, identity, or origin. It may be a deed, contract, will,
election ballots, marriage contract, check, visas, application form, check writer, certificates, etc.

Questioned document examination is a branch of forensics which focuses on the analysis of documents
which are disputed. A questioned document examiner will look at the document in question and use a
variety of techniques to analyze it, and he or she may even be called as a witness in a case, depending on
the outcome of the examination.

Disputed Document

Disputed Document is a term suggesting that there is an argument or controversy over the document, and
strictly speaking this is its true meaning.

In comparison of questioned document, what constitute sufficient number of similarity?

There is no set of standard to constitute a sufficient number. Instead, it's up to each expert to say
what constitutes a sufficient number.

Requirements to Become a Questioned Document Examiner

The courts (State v. Evans 1991) have decided that a person needs both: study and practice - that
is, a period of training (internship or apprenticeship is better than a self-study course) and a period of
experience (twenty some previous cases worked on is a good average).

Meant by the term “EXPERT WITNESS”?

A legal term used to describe a witness who by reason of his special 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.

Who are DOCUMENT EXAMINERS?

One who studies scientifically details and elements of documents in order to identify their source or
to discover other facts concerning them.

Divisions of Questioned Document Examination?

a Criminalistics Examination- involves the detection of forgery, erasure, alteration or obliteration of

documents.
b Handwriting Investigation /Analysis- more focused in determining the author of writing.
Classes of Questioned Document

The following are the general classification of QD.

a Documents with questioned signatures;

b Questioned documents alleged to have been containing fraudulent alterations;
c Questioned or disputed holographic wills;
d Documents investigated on the question of typewriting;
e Questioned documents on issues of their age or date;
f Questioned documents on issues of material used in their production; and,
g Documents or writing investigated because it is all alleged that they identify some persons through
handwriting.

Scientific Methods in Questioned Document Examination

a Analysis (Recognition)- properties or characteristics, observed or measured.

b Comparison- Properties or characteristics of the unknown determined through analysis are now
compared with the familiar or recorded properties of know items.
c Evaluation- Similarities or dissimilarities in properties will each have a certain value for
identification, determined by its likelihood of occurrence.
Standard Document

Are condensed and compact set of authentic specimen which is adequate and proper, should contain a
true correction of the material form a known source. They are used by the Document Examiner as the basis
for his identification or non-identification of the questioned document as, for example, for the known
handwriting which serves to establish who wrote the disputed letter. Standard in questioned documents
investigation, means those things whose origins are known and can be proven and which can be legally
used as examples to compare with other matters in question.

Kinds of Standard Documents

a. Procured or Collected – Those which are obtain from files of document executed in the
persons day to day business, official, social or personal activities. Also known as informal which
are documents previously executed and known to be genuine

b. Requested – Those which are given or made upon the request of an investigator for purpose
of making comparative examination with the request writing. Also known as formal which are
request writing samples.

c. Post Litem Motan Exemplars- writings produced by the subject after evidential writings
have come into dispute and solely for the purpose of establishing his contentions. "Post litem
motam" is Latin for "after a law suit is started.

How Many Samples Of Handwriting Are Needed?

 More known documents are needed if the writer has a wide range of variation or an oversimplified
signature, while only a few signatures would suffice if the writer is consistent. An oversimplified signature is
one that contains few changes of direction and is usually an illegible scrawl. Oversimplified signatures are
easier to imitate than more complex signatures that contain more changes of direction and more stylized
letter forms.

When a questioned signature shows obvious signs of forgery not present in the known signature,
one known signature should be enough to prove no genuineness. Forged writing often contains tremor or
has a drawn look.

A single signature would be sufficient to determine the facts when the questioned signatures are
written with a higher skill level than the suspected writer could execute. However, it is better to have more
exemplars whenever possible. The document examiner must evaluate the exemplars to determine if she
has sufficient suitable material to render an accurate opinion.

HANDWRITING DEFINED

Handwriting is the result of a very complicated series of facts, being used as whole, combination of
certain forms of visible mental and muscular habits acquired by long, continued painstaking effort also
knows as “visible speech.”

KINDS OF WRITINGS:

a Cursive- connected writing in which one letter is joined the next.

b Script- separated printed writing.
c BLOCK- ALL CAPITAL LETTERS.

Two Groups of Muscles Involve in Handwriting:

a Extensor muscles- push up the pen to form the upward strokes.

b Flexor muscles which push the pen to from the downward strokes.

Note: Generally speaking, four groups of muscles are employed in writing- those which operate the
joints of the fingers, wrist, elbow, and shoulder. The delicate way in which the various muscles used in
writing work together to procedure written form is known as motor coordination.

Faulty Coordination Is Characterized By The Following

1.Wavering and very irregular line or strokes with uncertain and unsteady progress. There is no freedom of
movement along the strokes of the letter-forms.

2.Angular Line- a very common fault of coordination. Curves, large and small are not smoothly rounded and
there is no gradual change of direction. On the contrary, and angle marks almost every change are
direction in the line.

Kinds of Writing Movements:

1. Finger Movement – Is mostly employed in “vertical writing” and mainly in the formation of printed styles
of writing. Letters are formed by the actions of the thumb, index and the middle finger. This is the
movement employed by children, or generally by those with whom writing is an unfamiliar process, it is
otherwise called as the “push and Pull writing”.

Characteristics:

a. It results to an inferior or poor quality of writing with lack of rhythm and speed.

b. Spacing is cropped up and the dashes are usually absent.

c. Finishes are done in irregular and abrupt manner or are varied between letters.

d. Pen usually starts resting on the paper and ends with short and abrupt strokes due to

limited and irregular movements of the fingers.

e. Shading is pronounced.

f. Lack of clear-cut, smooth and regular lines.

2. Hand Movement – It involves the action of the hand as a whole with the fingers playing but a minor role
(mainly in the formation of small letters) and the wrist is the pivotal of the lateral movement.

Characteristics:

a. Affords more expensive writing.

b. Narrow connections at the top and bottom of letters.

c. There is a considerable speed in movements.

d. More regularity of the lines.

3. Forearm (or Muscular) Movement – Writing is produced by the movement of the hand and arm and also
fingers in some cases. The elbow is the pivotal of the lateral movement.

Characteristics:

a. Shows the greatest freedom and speed.

b. Smooth clear cut as indicative of rhythm.

c. Slight shading is produced.

d. More even baseline.

e. Lateral movements in longer making the shifting of the writing hand fewer.
 f. Uniformity in size of letters.

4. Whole Forearm Movement – It involves the action of the entire arm without rest and is employed in
very large writing. Ornamental penmanship, blackboard writing, and by a few writers in making all the
capital letters are some of the writing where this movement is being employed.

Writing Habits:

Writing habits learned in the early years are those habits which are part of a basic system or which are
modifications of the system of writing found among so large a group of writers that they have only slight
identification value. These might include an open top ”O” and an ”A” or a looped “T” which occur in many
rapid careless handwriting.

A few of these early habits learned by the child are those slant of letters “l”, “d”, “b”, “g”, “t” with small letters
like letters “n”, “m”, “I”, “o”, “e” and also form and design of letters. These groups of habits are also called
general or class characteristics.

Another group of writing characteristics or habits is termed individuals habits. Any writing habit or character
in writing maybe modified and individualized by different writers in many different ways in many varying
degrees and the writing individuality of any particular writer is made up of all those common and uncommon
characteristics and habits. INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS- the result of the writer`s muscular control,
coordination, age, health, and nervous temperament, frequency of writing, personality and character

Classification of individual characteristics:

a. Permanent characteristics- found always in his handwriting.

b. Common or usual- found in a group of writers who studied the same system of writing.

c. Occasional- found occasionally in his handwriting.

d. Rare- found only in one or two persons in a group of one hundred individuals.
Kinds Of Handwriting Disguises

a. Change of slant- from right to left or vice versa.

b. Change of letter, either from cursive to block style or vice versa.

c. Change from cursive (conventional style) to block from or vice versa.

d. Change of style from small to big or vice versa.

e. Deteriorating one`s handwriting.

f. Using the wrong hand

Rhythm In Handwriting-Rhythm is succession of connected, uniform strokes in full coordination. This is

manifested by clear-cut accentuated strokes which increase and decrease in which like perfect cones.

Lack Of Rhythm- Characterized by succession of awkward, independent, poorly directed and disconnected
motions.

Importance Of Rhythm- one can determine if the writer normally and spontaneously write with hesitation as
if he is attempting to for another signature.

Letter Of Connections- it determine the essential expression of the writer pattern. It is a mean indicator of
the neuromuscular function. These types of connections are:

a. Arcade- a rounded stroke shaped like an arch. It is slow mode of connection resulting from
controlled movements.

b. Garland- Links the downward stroke to the upstrokes with a flowing curve swinging from left right. It
is an easy, effortless mode of connection, written with speed.

c. Angular connective form- characterized by an abrupt stop and start in each turning point.

d. The threadlike connective form- the joining of upward and downward strokes is slurred to a
threadlike tracing or where rounded turns used at both top and bottom produce a double curve-appear both
in the shaping of letters within the word.

STROKE

A series of lines or curves written in a single letter; one of the lines of an alphabet or series of lines or
curves within a single letter; the path traced by the pen on the paper.
Terminologies Concerning Stroke Characteristics:

Arc/Arch – a curved formed inside the top curve of loop, as in small letters “h”, ‘m”, “n”, “p”.

Ascender – is the top portion of a letter or upper loop.

Baseline – maybe actually on a ruled paper, it might be imaginary alignment of writing. Is the ruled or
imaginary line upon which the writing rest.

Beaded – preliminary embellished initial stroke which usually occurs in capital letter.

Beard – is the rudimentary initial up stroke of a letter.

Blunt – the beginning and ending stroke of a letter.

Body – the main portion of the letter, minus the initial of stroke. Terminal strokes and the diacritic of any.
Example: the oval of the letter “O” is the body, minus the downward stroke and the loop.

Bowl – a fully rounded oval or circular form on a letter complete into “O”.

Buckle/Buckle Knot – a loop made as a flourished which is added to the letters, as in small letter “k’ and “a”
or in capital letters “A”, “K”, “P”. The horizontal end loop stroke that are often used to complete a letter.

Cacography – a bad writing

Calligraphy – the art of beautiful writing

Descender – opposite of ascender, the lower portion of a letter.

Diacritic – “t” crossing and dots of the letters “I” and “j”. The matters of the Indian script are also known as
diacritic signs. An element added to complete a certain letter, either a cross bar or a dot.

Ending/Terminate Stroke of Toe – the end stroke of a letter.

Eye/Eyelet/Eye Loop – a small loop or curved formed inside the letters. This may occur inside the oval of
the letters “a”, “d”, “o”. The small loop form by stroke that extend in divergent direction as in small letters.

Foot – the lower parts which rest on the base line. The small letter “m” has three feet, and the small letter
“n” has two feet.

Habits – any repeated elements or details, which may serve to individualize writing.

Hesitation – the term applied to the irregular thickening of ink which is found when writing slows down or
stop while the pen take a stock of the position.
Hiatus/Pen Jump – a gap occurring between continuous strokes without lifting the pen. Such as occurrence
usually occurs due to speed.

Hook – it is a minute curve or an ankle which often occurs at the end of the terminal strokes. It is also
sometimes occur at the beginning of an initial stroke. The terminal curves of the letters “a”, “d”, “n”, “m’, “p”,
“u’, are the hook. In small letter “w” the initial curve is the hook. The minute involuntary talon like formation
found at the commencement of an initial up stroke or the end terminal stroke.

Hump – upper portion of its letter “m”, “n”, “h”, “k”. The rounded outside of the top of the bend stroke or
curve in small letter.

Knob – the extra deposit of ink in the initial and terminal stroke due to the slow withdrawal of the pen from
the paper. (usually applicable to fountain pen)

Ligature/Connection – the strokes which connect two stroke of letter, characterized by connected stroke
between letters.

Long Letter – those letters with both upper and lower loops.

Loop – an oblong curve such as found on the small letters “f”, “go”, “l” and letters stroke “f” has two. A loop
maybe blind or open. A blind loop is usually the result of the ink having filled the open space.

Majuscule – a capital letter

Minuscule – a small letter.

Movement Impulses – this refer to the continuity of stroke force writing is usually produce by disconnected
and broken movements more motion or movement impulses than genuine writing.

Oval – the portion of the letter which is oval in shape. The small letter stroke “a” , “d” , “g” , and “q”
contain oval letter “a” , “t” while coming down……….

Patching/Retouching – retouching or going back over a defective portion of a written stroke. Careful
patching is common defect on forgeries.

Pen Lift – an interruption in a stroke caused by removing the writing instrument from the paper.
Disconnection between letters and letter combination maybe due to lack of movement control. Using a ball-
point pen may cause pen lift due to the failure of the ball to rotate.

Pen Position or Pen Hold – Is the relative location of the pen in relation to the paper surface which can be
determined by the presence of the emphasis or pen shading.

Pen Scope – Represents the reach of the hand with the wrist at rest. It is the average scope or limits of the
pen during the process of writing with the wrist of the hand at still.

Retrace/Retracing – any part of a stroke which is super imposed upon the original stroke. Is the stroke
which goes back over other writing strokes; it is slightly to occur in others handwriting. Example: vertical
strokes of the letter “d”, “t” while coming downward from the top to bottom will have a retracing stokes. Any
stroke which goes back over another writing stroke. In natural handwriting there may be instances in which
the pen doubled back over the course.

Shoulder – outside portion of the top curve, small letter “m” has three shoulders and the small letter “n” has
two, the small letter “h” has one shoulder.

Spur – a short initial or terminal stroke.

Staff – Any major long downward stroke of a letter that is the long downward stroke of the letter “b”, “g”.

Stem or Shank – the upright long downward stroke that is the trunk or stalk, normally seen in capital letters.

Tick/ Hitch – any short stroke, which is usually at the top of the letters.

Tremor – a writing weakness portrayed by irregular shaky strokes is described as writing tremor.

Whirl- The upstroke of a looping ascender.

Other terminologies concerning strokes:

1. AIRSTROKE- The movement of the pen as it is raised from the paper and continues in the same
direction in the air.

2. COVERING STROKE- A stroke the unnecessarily covers another stroke in a concealing action.

3. FINAL- The ending stroke on a letter when it is at the end of the word.

4. UPSTROKE- Movement of the pen away from the writer.

5. SEQUENCE OF STROKE- The order in which writing strokes are placed on the paper is referred
to as their sequence

6. SUPPORTED STROKES- Upstrokes partially covering the previous down strokes. Originally taught
in European schools.

7. TRAIT STROKE- A school of handwriting analysis that assigns personality trait manners to
individual writing strokes.

Causes Of Handwriting Variation:

a. Function of some external condition i.e. influence of the available space.

b. Abnormal conditions such as physical injury, toxic effects, inebriations, emotions and deception.

c. Position of letter- all the letters are to be found initially, medially, and finally. The fact may modify
any of them in some way or another.
TERMINOLOGIES RELATED TO HANDWRITING IDENTIFICATION AND EXAMINATIONS

° ALIGNMENT- the relation of parts of the whole of writing or line of individual letters in words to the
baseline.

° ANGULAR FORMS- Sharp, straight strokes that are made by stopping the pen and changing direction
before continuing.

° ARCADE FORMS- look like arches rounded on the top and open at the bottom.

° CHARACTERISTICS- any property or mark which are commonly called the identifying details.

COLLATION – side by side comparison; collation as used in this text means the critical comparison on side
by side examination.

° COMPARISON- the act of setting two or more items side by side to weigh their identifying qualities.

° DISTINGUISED WRITING-altered writing in hopes of hiding identity.

° DOWNSTROKE- The movement of the pen toward the writer.

° FORM- The way the writing looks, whether it is copybook, elaborated, simplifier or printed

° GARLAND FORMS- A cup like connected form that is open at the top and rounded on the bottom.

° GESTALT- The German word that means “complete” or “whole”. A good gestalt needs nothing added or
taken away to make it “look right”.

° GRAHOANALYSIS- the study of handwriting based on the two fundamental strokes, the curve and the
straight strokes.

° GRAPHOMETRY- analysis by comparison and measurement.

° GRAPHOLOGY- the art of determining character disposition and amplitude of a person from the study of
handwriting. It also means the scientific study and analysis of handwriting, especially with reference to
forgeries and questioned documents.

HANDLETTERING- Any disconnected style of writing in which each letter is written separately,; also called
hand printing.

° LETTER SPACE- The amount of space between letters.

° LINE DIRECTION- Movement of the baseline. May slant-up, down or straight across the page.

° LINE QUALLITY- the overall character of the link lines from the beginning to the ending stroke: Good Line
quality and Poor Line quality.
° LINE SPACE- The amount of the space between lines.

° MANUSCRIPT WRITING- A disconnected form of script or semi-script writing.

° MARGINS- The amount of space left around the writing on all four sides.

° MICROSOPIC EXAMINATION- Any study or examination which is made with the microscope in other to
discover minute details.

° MOVEMENT- an important element in handwriting which embraces all the factors which are related to the
motion of the writing instrument skill, speed freedom, hesitation, rhythm, emphasis, tremors and the like.

° NATURAL WRITING- Any specimen of writing executed normally without any attempt to control or alter
its identifying habits and its usual quality or execution.

° NATURAL VARIATION- normal or usual deviation found between repeated specimens of any individual
handwriting.

° PEN EMPHASIS- The act of intermittently forcing the pen against the paper surfaces which produces
shading, out with more rigid writing points heavy point emphasis can occur in writing without any evidence
of shading.

° PEN HOLD- The place where the writer grasps the barrel of the pen and the angle at which he holds it.

° PEN POSITION- relationship between the pen point and the paper.

° PEN PRESSURE- the average force with which the pen contacts the paper.

° PRINTSCRIPT- A creative combination of printing and cursive writing.

° PROPORTION or RATIO – the relation between the tall and the short letter

° QUALITY- A distinct or peculiar character. Also, “quality” is used in describibg handwriting to refer to any
identifying factor that is related to the writing movement itself.

° RHYTHM- The element of the writing movement which is marked by regular or periodic recurrences:
maybe smooth, intermittent, or jerky in its quality; the flourishing succession of motion which are recorded
in a written record.

° SHADING- widening of the ink strokes due to the added pressure on a flexible pen point or to the use of a
stub pen.

° SIGNIFICANNT WRITIG HABIT- Any characteristic of handwriting that is sufficiently uncommon and well
fixed to serve as a fundamental point in the identification.

° SIMPLIFICATION- Eliminating extra or superfluous strokes from the copybook model.

° SIZE- the overall size of the writing or the proportions between zones.
° SKILL- writer’s proficiency; degree, ability, or skill of a write proficiency.

° SLOPE/ SLANT – the angle or inclination of the axis of the letters relative to the baseline: Slant to the left;
Slant to the right; and Vertical Slant.

° SPEED (SPEEDY)WRITING- Can be interpreted in board terms of slow, moderate, or rapid.

° SYSTEM (OF WRITING) - The combination of the basic design of letters and the writing movement as
taught in school make up the writing system.

TENSION- degree of exerted on the pen compared to the degree of relaxation.

° THREADY FORM- An indefinite connective form that looks flat and wavy.

° VARIABILITY- The degree to which the writing varies from the copybook model .

° VARIATION- The act or process of changing.

° WORD SPACE- The amount of space left between words.

° WRITING CONDITION- circumstances under which the writing was prepared and the factors in
influencing the writer’s ability to write at the time of execution. It includes the writer’s position (sitting,
standing, abed, etc.), the paper support and backing, and the writing instrument; writing ability may be
modified by the condition of the writer’s health, nervous state or degree of intoxication.

° WRONG-HANDED WRITING- Any writing executed with the opposite hand that normally used; a.k.a. as
“with the awkward hand.”

° WRITING IMPULSE- The result of the pen touching down on the paper and moving across the page, until
it is raised from the paper.

SIGNATURE

The name of a person written by him/ her in a document as a sign of acknowledgement. Or, it is a name or
mark that a person puts at the end of a document to attest that he is its author or that he ratifies its
contests. Microsoft Encarta Reference Library has these to say about signature:

1. Signed name

2. Signing of name

3. Distinctive characteristics

Significant Terms

a. Assisted Signature. See Guided Signature.

b. Cross Mark. If properly witnessed, it can legally stand for signature. Ballot marks are also referred
to as cross marks because of the common practice of marking with an X.
c. Evidential Signature- a signature, signed at a particular time and place, under particular conditions,
while the signer was at particular age, in a particular physical and mental condition, using particular
implements, and with a particular reason and purpose for recording his name.

d. Fraudulent Signature. A forged signature; the writing of a name as a signature by someone other
than the person himself, without his permission, often with some degree of imitation.

e. Freehand Signature. A fraudulent signature that was executed purely by simulation rather than by
tracing the outline or a genuine signature.

f. Guided Signature. It is executed while the writer`s hand or arm is steadied in any way: such a
signature authenticates a legal document provided it is shown that the writer requested the assistance;
written during a serious illness or on a deathbed.

g. Imitated Signature. Synonymous with freehand forgery.

h. Model Signature – A genuine signature that has been used to prepare an imitated or traced
forgery.

Theory of Comparison- The act of setting two or more signature in an inverted position to weigh their
identifying significance

ANACHRONISM

Anachronism is refers to a something wrong in time and in place; the forger has trouble matching the
paper, ink, or writing materials to the exact date it was supposed to have been written

PAPER

These are sheets of interlaced fibers – usually cellulose fivers from plants, but sometimes from cloth rags
or other fibrous materials, that is formed by pulping the fibers and causing to felt, or mat, to form a solid
surface.

WATERMARKS

Is a figure or design incorporated into paper during its manufacture and appearing lighter than the rest of
the sheet when viewed in transmitted light. It is a brand put on the paper by the manufactures.

Origin

First appeared on papers produced in Italy around 1270, less than 100 years after the art of papermaking
was introduced to Europe by Muslims from the Middle East.
WRITING INSTRUMENT

a. REED PENS / SWAMP REED – from especially selected water grasses found in Egypt, Armenia
and along the shores of the Persian Gulf, were prepared by leaving them under dung heaps for several
months. It was the first writing tool that had the writing end slightly frayed like a brush.

b. QUILL PEN- Although quill pens can be made from the outer wing feather of any bird, those of
goose, swan, crow, and (later) turkey, were preferred. The earliest reference (6th century AD) to quill
penswas made by the Spanish Theologian ST. ISIDORE OF SEVILLE, and this tool was the principal
writing implement for nearly 1300 years.

c. STEEL POINT PENS (BRAZEN PENS)- The 16th century Spanish calligrapher JUAN DE YCIAR
mentions brass pens for very large writing in his 1548 writing manual, but the use of metal pens did not
become widespread until the early part of the 19thcentury.

d. FOUNTAIN PENS- In 1884, LEWIS WATERMAN, a New York insurance agent, patented the first
practical FOUNTAIN PEN containing its own ink reservoir. Waterman invented a mechanism that fed ink to
the pen point by capillary action, allowing ink to flow evenly while writing.

e. BALL POINT PEN- JOHN LOUD, in 1888, patented the first ball point writing tool. The ball is set
into a tiny socket. In the center of the socket is a hole that feeds ink to the socket from a long tube
(reservoir) inside the pen. As early as the 19th century, attempts had been made to manufacture a open
with a rolling ball tip, but not until 1938 did Hungarian inventor brother LADISLAO and GEORGE BIRO
invent a viscous, oil-based ink, that could be used with such a pen. Hence, they are attributed for the
invention of the first practical ballpoint pen.

f. FIBER TIP PENS – The first practical fiber tip pen was invented by YUKIO HORIE of Japan in
1962 traditionally done with a pointed ink brush. Unlike its predecessors, the fiber tip pen uses dye as a
writing fluid. As a result, the fiber tip pen can produce a wide range of color unavailable in ball point and
fountain pen inks. The tip is made of fine nylon or other synthetic fibers drawn to a point and fastened to the
barrel of the pen.

COMPOSITION AND CHARACTERISTICS OF INKS

a. Indian Inks – The oldest form of Indian ink consisted of a suspension of carbon black (soot or
lampblack) in water to which glue or a vegetable gum was added. Inks of these compositions are still on the
market mostly in the shape of sticks or cakes. In modern carbon ink, the glue or gum is replaced by a
solution of shellac in borax or ammonia.

b. Log wood Inks – These inks which were used extensively about a century ago, have now because
of obsolete and are no longer manufactured. They were made from an aqueous extract of logwood chips
and potassium chromate.
c. Iron Gallotanate Inks – This ink has been used as writing for over a thousand years. Formerly it
was made of a fermented infusion of gall nuts to which iron salts were added. The ink was composed of
suspension of the black, almost insoluble ferric tannate.

d. Fountain Pen Inks – These inks are regarded as a special fountain pen inks, and consisting of
ordinary iron gallotannate inks with a lower iron content in most cases but with a higher dyestuff content
than normal inks. This type of ink is placed on the market under the name of “blue-black permanent”.

e. Dyestuff Inks – These inks are composed of aqueous solution of synthetic dyestuffs, to which a
preservative and a flux are added. The writing qualities of the ink are improved by addition of substances
such as glycerol, glucose or dextrin.

f. Water Resistant Writing and Drawing Inks – These inks are special group of dyestuff inks. They
consist of a pigment paste and a solution of shellac made soluble in water by means of borax, liquid
ammonia or ammonium bicarbonate. Sometime the pigment suspension is combined with acid or basic
dyestuff.

g. Alkaline Writing Inks – These are quick drying inks which penetrate quickly through the size of the
paper. The dyestuff in these inks consists of acid dyes, sometimes combined with phthalo cyanide dyes.
These inks are not much in demand because they are rather expensive and because the material of many
fountain pens is affected by them.

h. Ballpoint Pen Inks – did not appear one the European market before 1945. The development of
the present pen was accomplished during World War II because the Army and the Air Force needed a
writing instrument which would not leak at high altitude and which supplied quick drying water resistant
writing. As a rule, the diameter of the ball lies between 0.6 and 1.0 mm, the cheapest makes having the
largest diameter. The ball is made of steel while the more expensive makes of sapphire.

i. Stamp Pad Inks – They are made with the acid of substances such as glycerol, glycol, acetin or
benzyl alcohol and water. Airline dyes are added as coloring matter.

j. Hectograph Inks – These inks very much resemble stamp pad inks and are exclusively made with
basic dyes. To the dyestuff solution several other substances are added such as glycerol, acetic and
acetone.

k. Typewriter Ribbon Inks – These inks are usually composed of a blend of aniline dyes, carbon black
and oil such as olein or castor oil. The two-tone ribbons however contain no dyes, but pigments suspended
in oil base.

l. Printing Inks – Printing inks often consist of a mixture of colored pigments, carbon black and a
“base” which may consist of oil, resins, synthetic resins or a mixture of these.

m. Canceling Inks – These inks often contain carbon and this fact should be burned in mind when it is
required to decipher faint cancellation marks on a postage stamp and wrappers. Carbon is opaque to infra-
red sensitive plate and be relied upon to improve the legibility of any marking affected by a carbon
containing canceling ink.
n. Skrip Ink – These are manufactured by W.A. Chaffer Pen Company since 1955. The inks contain a
substance which is colorless in visible light and has strong affinity for the fibers of the paper, and yet is not
bleached by hypochlorite ink eradicators or washed out by soaking on water.

FORGERY, COUNTERFEITING AND FALSIFICATION

Forgery- a legal term which involves not only a non-genuine document but also and intent to fraud.
However, it is also used synonymously with fraudulent signature or spurious document.

CATEGORIES OF FORGERY

A. Simple or Spurious Forgery- a fraudulent signature whereby there are no apparent attempt at
simulation or imitation.

B. Simulated Or Freehand Imitation Forgery-executed purely by simulation rather than by tracing the
outline of a genuine signature can be referred as freehand imitation or simulated forgery.

1. Simulated With The Model Before The Forger

a. Direct Technique – forger works directly with ink.

b. Indirect forger works first with pencil and afterwards covers the pencil strokes with ink.

2. Simulated Free Hand Forgery (Technique)- used by forgers who have a certain skill in writing; After
some practice, the forger to write a copy of the model quickly.

C. Traced Forgery (Traced Signature)- is the result of an attempt to transfer in a fraudulent document
an exact facsimile of a signature by tracing process.

1. Direct Tracing- tracing is made by transmitted light.

2. Indirect Tracing- forger uses a carbon paper and place document on which he will trace the forged
signature under the document bearing the model signature with carbon paper between the two.

D. Forgery by means of a stamped facsimile of a genuine or model

E. Forgery by computer scanning

What are the crimes called forgeries?

a. Forging the seal of the government, signature or stamp of the chief Executive

b. Counterfeiting coins
c. Mutilation of coins

d. Forging treasury or bank notes or other document payable to bearer

e. Counterfeiting instruments not payable to bearer

f. Falsification of legislative documents

g. Falsification by public officer, employee or notary or ecclesiastical minister

h. Falsification by private individuals

i. Falsification of wireless, cable, telegraph and telephone messages

j. Falsification of medical certificates, certificates of merit or service

INDICATIONS OF SIMPLE OR SPURIOUS FORGERY – Writing habits of the writer (forger) is evident in
the forged signature.

INDICATIONS OF FORGERY BY MEANS OF STAMPED FACSIMILE OF A GENUINE SIGNATURE

a Flat strokes

b No contrast between upstrokes and down strokes

c Deposit of ink at the junction of two strokes or where two strokes cross each other.

d No variation – all signatures will superimpose over each other.

WHAT ARE THE CRIMES CALLED FORGERIES?

a Forging the seal of the government, signature or stamp of the chief Executive (161).

b Counterfeiting coins (163)

c Mutilation of coins (164)

d Forging treasury or bank notes or other document payable to bearer (166).

e Counterfeiting instruments not payable to bearer (167)

f Falsification of legislative documents (172)

g Falsification by public officer, employee or notary or ecclesiastical minister (171)

h Falsification by private individuals (172)

i Falsification of wireless, cable, telegraph and telephone messages (173).

j Falsification of medical certificates, certificates of merit or service (174)

COUNTERFEITING – It is the crime of making, circulating or uttering false coins and banknotes. Literally, it
means to make a copy of; or imitate; to make a spurious.

When is a coin false or counterfeited?

A coin is false or counterfeited, if it is forged or if it is not authorized by the Government as legal tender,
regardless of its intrinsic value.

DEFINITION

° “Import,” means to bring them into port. The importation is complete before entry at the Customs House.
(U.S. vs. Lyman, 26 Fed. Cas. 1024)

° “Utter,” means to pass counterfeited coins. It includes their delivery or the act of giving them away. A
counterfeited coin is uttered when it is paid, when the offender is caught counting the counterfeited coins
preparatory to the act of delivering them, even though the utterer may not obtain the gain he intended.
Hence, damage to another is not necessary.

° “Mutilation” means to take off part of the metal either by filing it or substituting it for another met metal of
inferior quality.

EXAMINATION OF SUSPECTED COUNTERFEIT BANKNOTE.

 Together with ultraviolet light, the investigator should look at the banknote with a hand lens.

 He should pay particular attention to the quantity of the portrait in the bank note. This is the one
extremely fine detail of a good engraved plate.

 The color of the ink should be compared with color of a genuine banknote. It is very difficult for
counterfeiter to match exactly the same shade of ink by genuine manufacturer.

COINS

These are pieces of metal stamped by government authority, for use as money or collectively referring to
metal currency.

Making Of Coins

Casting is the most common method of making gold coins. Plaster molds bearing an image of gold coins
are filled (within a low temperature) with alloy made with lead or tin. Some molds are used for high
temperature metal such as copper or silver alloy
Striking Or Stamping-is the making of an impression of a coin or metal blank by pressure.

Note: The best place to examine a counterfeit coin is on the edge since there are usually special milling
marks or designs which are added to a genuine coin by machinery.

CHARACTERISTICS

 Genuine coins show an even flow of metallic grains

 Counterfeit coins feel greasy & appear slimy. The beading composed of tiny round dots
surrounding the genuine coin appear irregular & elongated depressions & are not sharp & prominent as in
the genuine. The letterings & numerals are low & worn out due to the lack of sharpness of details.
The readings are uneven & shown signs of filing.

COUNTERFEIT METAL MONEY OR COIN

Coin made of gold was to widely use but are not now often see. Government kept their
gold in the form of heavy bars called bullions and then issue papers for the value of gold. Metal
coins issued nowadays are mostly in amount for less than its face value. In most countries, the
possessions of gold coins are now forbidden except for coin collectors.

EXAMINATION OF COUNTERFEIT COINS – should be examined by:

a A magnifying lens

b Comparing it with a known coin

DEFECTS IN CAST COIN ARE USUALLY CAUSED BY:

a Formation of air bubbles, or

b Removal of small parts of the sole along with the coin.

The best place to examine a counterfeit coin is on the edge since there are usually
special milling marks or designs which are added to a genuine coin by machinery.

COUNTERFEIT PASSPORT

Passports are rarely counterfeit, because they are quite complicated in design and manufacture.
The most usual method of forgery is to steal a genuine passport and make change in it. Many safety
features are incorporated in passport and are easily detected by close inspection. Ultraviolet light is very
useful in this type of examination. The investigator should look particularly at the photograph in any
passport as identification card. This is always necessary because sometimes forgers remove and change
or substitute the picture. Hence, the position of perforation caused by staples and another pasting device
should be studied carefully
ACTS OF FALSIFICATION (Art. 171 & 172)

° Counterfeiting or imitating any handwriting, signature or rubric;

° Causing it to appear that persons have participated in any act or proceeding when they did not in fact so
participate;

° Attributing to persons who have participated in act or proceeding statements other than those in fact
made by them;

° Making untruthful statements in a narration of facts;

° Altering true dates;

° Making any alteration or intercalation in genuine document which changes its meaning;

° 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 copy a statement contrary to, or different from, that of the genuine
original; or

° Intercalating any instrument or note relative to the issuance thereof in a protocol, registry or official book.

Note: In falsification of public document, the falsification need not be made on an official

form. It is sufficient that the document is given the appearance of, or made to appear

similar to, the official form. (People vs. Tupasi, C.A., G.R. No. 290-292, March 22, 1937).