DOCUMENT

- any material which contains marks, symbols or signs, either visible or partially visible or
invisible, that may presently or ultimately convey a meaning or message to someone.
QUESTIONED DOCUMENT
- any document in which some issue has been raised or which is under scrutiny
- a document may be questioned in whole or in part with respect to its authenticity, identity or
authorship, origin, or the relation among its parts or its relation to other things
DISPUTED DOCUMENT
- suggests that there is an argument or controversy over the document
PRINCIPLES OF WRITING
WRITING
- the result of a very complicated series of acts, being as a whole a combination of certain forms
which are the visible results of mental and muscular habits acquired by long, continued effort
WRITTEN FORM
- a record of a motion and mature writing by many repetitions which become an unconscious
coordinated movement
HANDWRITING
- a visible effect of bodily movement which is an almost unconscious expression of fixed
muscular habits, reacting from fixed mental impressions of certain ideas associated with script form
CURSIVE WRITING
- writing in which the letters are for the most part joined together
HAND MUSCLES IN THE HANDS WHICH FUNCTION IN THE ACT OF WRITING
1. EXTENSOR MUSCLES
- push up the pen to form the upward strokes
2. FLEXOR MUSCLES
- push down the pen to form downward strokes
3. LUMBRICAL MUSCLES
- combine with the extensor and the flexor to form lateral strokes
MOTOR COORDINATION
- the delicate way in which the various muscles - used in writing - work together to produce
written forms
WRITING MOVEMENTS
1. FINGER MOVEMENT
• the use of thumb, index and middle fingers in writing
• usually employed by children and illiterates
2. HAND MOVEMENT
• involves action of the hand as a whole, with fingers playing a minor role
• pivot of lateral motion is the wrist
3. FOREARM MOVEMENT
• writing is produced by movement of both hand and arm and sometimes, fingers
• elbow is the pivot of lateral movement
4. WHOLE ARM MOVEMENT
• involves action of the entire arm without rest and is employed in very large writing
• writing produced is that which is forged with the greatest difficulty

CLASSIFICATION OF WRITING CHARACTERISTICS

1. CLASS OR GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS
- those characteristics of writing that are common to a group and not peculiar to a single
person
2. INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS
- those characteristics which are highly personal or peculiar to a particular person and is
unlikely to occur in other instances
WRITING CHARACTERISTICS
SYSTEM OF WRITING
- the combination of the basic design of letters and the writing movement as taught in school
.
- the particular style or system of writing practiced or learned in childhood
HABIT
- any repeated element or detail which may serve to individualize writing
SIGNIFICANT WRITING HABIT
- any characteristics of handwriting which is sufficiently unique and well-fixed to serve as a
fundamental point in the identification
FORM
 - shape or design of the individual letters
CONNECTIONS
– either circular, oblong or elliptical, or angular
SLANT
– the slope of writing in relation to the base line; the angle or inclination of the axis of letters
relative to the baseline
PROPORTION
– a hidden feature of writing
LINE QUALITY
- the visible record in the written stroke of the basic movements and manner of holding the
writing instrument;
- derived from a combination of factors including:
a. skill
b. speed
c. rhythm
d. shading
e. pen pressure
f. pen position or pen hold
g. tremor
h. movement
SKILL
- relative degree of the ability of the writer
RHYTHM
- that element of the writing movement which is marked by regular or periodic recurrence
- harmonious recurrence of stress or impulse or motion
- the balanced quality of movement
- it may be classified as smooth, intermittent or jerky in its quality
SPEED
- can be classified into four divisions:
a. slow and drawn
b. deliberate
c. average
d. rapid
SHADING
- the widening of the ink stroke due to added pressure on a flexible pen point or the use of a
stub pen
- the more obvious increase in the width of strokes
PEN EMPHASIS
- the act of intermittently forcing the pen against the paper surface with increased pressure
PEN POSITION OR PEN HOLD
• the relationship between the pen point and paper
• the angle between the ribs of the pen and the line of writing
• the manner of holding the pen or the writing instrument
PEN PRESSURE
• the average force with which the pen contacts the paper
• one of the most personal and hidden writing characteristics
• describes the proportions of strokes to each other in width as affected by shading and by
unconscious emphasis
PEN LIFTS
• an interruption in a stroke caused by removing the writing instrument from the paper
• one of those inconspicuous and unconscious writing habit
• disconnections between letters and letter combinations
TREMOR
- deviations from uniform strokes or the lack of smoothness apparent even without
magnification
- shown by:
a. lack of uniformity of speed in making pen strokes
b. pen stops
c. involuntary horizontal and vertical movements
d. involuntary pen pressure ( also called vertical tremor )
- caused by:
a. lack of skill on the part of the writer
b. self-consciousness of the writing process
c. hesitation resulting from copying or imitation
 d. uncontrollable nervousness of the writer
e. clumsiness partly due to lack of clear mental impression of the form being made
b. PATCHING
- retouching or going back over a defective portion of a writing stroke
c. RETOUCHING
- synonymous with patching
d. RETRACING
- any stroke which goes back over another writing stroke
KINDS OF TREMORS

1. GENUINE TREMORS
caused by: (AIW)
a. age
b. illiteracy
c. weakness
2. TREMOR OF FRAUD

ALIGNMENT
- the relation of successive characters or letters of a word, signature or line of writing to an
actual or imaginary base line
RUBRIC OR EMBELLISHMENT
- additional, unnecessary strokes not required for legibility of letter forms or writings but
incorporated in writing for decorative or ornamental purposes
NATURAL VARIATIONS
- these are normal or usual deviations found between repeated specimens of any individual
handwriting
MOST COMMON FORMS OF VARIATIONS
1. ABBREVIATING
- taking away or reducing essential parts
2. EMBELLISHMENT
- extension of strokes
3. DISGUISE
- any change or alteration made by a person to distort or alter his usual or normal
writing style and habits to conceal identity
FORGERY
CLASSES OF QUESTIONED DOCUMENTS
1. Documents with questioned signatures
2. Documents containing alleged fraudulent alterations
3. Documents questioned as to their age or date
4. Documents questioned on the materials used in their production
5. Documents which may identify a person through handwriting
6. Genuine documents erroneously or fraudulently disputed
7. Holograph documents
HOLOGRAPHIC DOCUMENTS
- any document which is completely written and signed by one person
SIGNATURE
- is one’s name written by himself on a document as a sign of acknowledgment
EVIDENTIAL SIGNATURE
- a signature signed at a particular time and place, under particular conditions, while the
signer was at a particular age, in a particular physical and mental condition,
SIMULATED SIGNATURE
-a free-hand drawing in imitation of a model signature
MODEL SIGNATURE
- a genuine signature which has been used to prepare an imitated or traced forgery
CLASSES OF DISPUTED SIGNATURES
1. SIMPLE FORGERY
• forged signatures where no attempt has been made to make a copy of facsimile of the
genuine signature of the person purporting to sign the document
2. FORGED SIGNATURES OF FICTITIOUS PERSONS
3. TRACED FORGERY
• forged signatures which closely resemble the genuine signature since they have been
produced by a tracing process
4. SIMULATED FORGERY/ COPIED FORGERY
• forged signatures which resemble the genuine signature written free-hand
 5. Genuine signatures which the writers are unwilling to accept as genuine
6. Genuine signatures obtained by trickery
7. Genuine signatures deliberately written illegibility or in an unusual manner to afford
signatories some plausible grounds for disclaiming them

INDICATIONS OF FORGERY
1. hesitations – pen stops at unusual places

ALTERATIONS - may be made in any of the following means:

1. ERASURE
– the removal of writing, typewriting or printing from a document through either
mechanical or chemical means
2. ADDITION
– any matter made a part of the document after its original preparation
3. SUBSTITUTION
– the replacing of the original writing, or part of such writing, with another
4. INSERTION OR INTERLINEATION
– the addition of writing and other material between lines or paragraphs, or the
addition of a whole page to a document
5. OBLITERATION
– the blotting out or smearing over the writing to make the original invisible or
indecipherable

STANDARDS OF COMPARISON
STANDARDS
• those things whose origins are known and can be proven and can be legally used as
samples to compare with other matters in questions
• consist of the known, authenticated writing of a person

CLASSIFICATION OF STANDARDS
1. PROCURED OR COLLECTED
• those which can be obtained from files of documents executed in the course of a
person’s day-to-day business, official, social or personal activities
• these serve as the best and most appropriate standards in the determination of the
genuineness of a questioned signature or writing
2. REQUESTED
• those which are given or made at the request of an investigator for purposes of making
a comparative examination with the questioned writing
• these serve as appropriate standards in determining the identity or authorship of
anonymous letters

• EXAMINATION
- the act of making a close and critical study of any material
• COMPARISON
- the act of setting two or more items side by side to weigh their identifying
qualities

INSTRUMENTS AND APPARATUS NEEDED IN DOCUMENT EXAMINATION(MMISS TTU)

1. MEASURE AND TEST PLATES
2. MAGNIFYING LENS
3. INFRA-RED VIEWER
4. SHADOWGRAPH
5. STEREOSCOPIC BINOCULAR MICROSCOPE
6. TABLE LAMPS
7. TRANSMITTED LIGHT GADGET
8. ULTRAVIOLET LAMP

METHODS USED IN THE EXAMINATION OF DOCUMENTS

1. MICROSCOPIC EXAMINATION
- any study or examination which is made with the microscope in order to discover
minute physical details
2. TRANSMITTED LIGHT EXAMINATION
- the document is viewed with the source of illumination behind it and the light passing
through the paper
 3. ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT EXAMINATION
- may be made visually or photographically by recording either the reflected ultraviolet
or visible radiation
4. INFRA-RED EXAMINATION
- employs invisible radiation which is recorded on specially sensitized photographic
emulsions
5. OBLIQUE OR SIDE LIGHT EXAMINATION
- illumination is controlled and grazes from one side at a very low angle

PROCESSES IN THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD OF EXAMINATION (ACEC)

1. ANALYSIS
- the observation or determination of the properties or characteristics of the writings
2. COMPARISON
- the study of the properties and characteristics of writings of unknown origin in relation to
records of known origin
3. EVALUATION
- the identification of similarities and dissimilarities in properties and characteristics of
writings to reach the conclusion regarding the identity, origin, genuineness and other subject of
dispute concerning such writing
4. CONCLUSION
- results from relating observed facts by logical, common sense reasoning in accordance with
established rules or laws
5. OPINION
- the document examiner’s conclusion

PROPER HANDLING OF QUESTIONED DOCUMENTS

1. They should not be cut, torn or in any manner mutilated in the slightest degree.
2. They should not be touched with an eraser of any kind, nor with pen, pencil or sharp
instrument.
3. They should not be folded in any new place, nor should it be folded and unfolded
unnecessarily.
4. They should not be allowed to get wet.
5. No chemical analysis should be made on the document by either parties. Only those who are
authorized and qualified shall conduct such chemical analysis, as chemicals applied may
injure or deface document.
6. Portions of the document that are of particular importance such as signatures, amounts or
dates should not be encircled in any manner that the strokes or portions are affected.
7. Keep the documents unfolded in protective envelopes.
8. If storage is necessary, keep in dry place away from excessive heat and strong light.

• 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.
• FORENSIC SCIENCE
- The field of science that is used in the judicial process.
• 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.
• FORENSIC DOCUMENT EXAMINER
– Is a forensic scientist whose specialty centers around paper documents and
related materials .
• 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 also focuses on writings done on papyrus, parchment vellum, etc.
 COLLATION
- Critical comparison or side by side examination.
• 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.
• 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.
CERTIFICATION
– The recognition of a particular level of professional qualification.

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.

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.
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.

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.
“According to Huber, it is an acquired skill and clearly one that is a complex
perceptual motor task, sometimes referred as the neuro-muscular task. That out hand contains 27
bones controlled by more than the muscle”.
KINDS OF SIGNATURES
1. CONVENTIONAL SIGNATURE – signatures which are readable or legible.
2. 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 – A 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.

2. Individual or Personal Characteristics

- 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.
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

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.
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).
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.

INDICATION OF FORGERY
HESITATION – irregular thickening of the inked line when the writing is slow
down or stops while a penman takes stocks of the position.
BLUNT – is the beginning or ending stroke of the letter both small and capital
letter in which the pen touched the paper without hesitation, beard, hitch or knob.
DEFECTIVE LINE QUALITY – presence of tremors, re-touching and poor line
quality.
LINE QUALITY – the overall character of the inked line from the beginning to the
ending strokes.
PEN-LIFTS – an interpretation in a stroke caused by removing the writing
instrument from the paper.

CHARACTERISTIC OF GENUINE SIGNATURES

SKILL – in any act there are relative degrees of ability or skill. It refers to the
writer’s proficiency in the art of writing.
STROKE STRUCTURES – series of lines or curves of the individual letters of
alphabet.
SPEED OF WRITING – not everyone writes at the same rate so that consideration
of the speed of writing maybe a significant identifying element.

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
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.
CLASSES OF HANDWRITING STANDARDS
1. 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

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
2. Frequent interruption of movement
3. Un equal distribution of ink
4. Varying pen pressure
5. Too many pen-lifts and pen-lifts on wrong places.

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

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

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
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.

KINDS OF HANDWRITING
1. SCRIPT – disconnected and combination of capital and small letters
2. BLOCK OR PRINTED – disconnected and purely capital letter
3. 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.

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 –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”.
• 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.
• Twisted Letter – 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.

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 typewriting results from actual
damage to the type face metal.
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
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 typefaces (clogged typefaces)
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.
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.

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.
Blank paper - A sheet of paper that contains no visible or readily visible writing .
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 may be 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.
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.
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.
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
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. 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 recaster 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.

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.
Pen - Any writing instrument used to apply inks to the paper.
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.
Ball point pen - A writing instrument having as its marking tip a small, truly rotating ball bearing
that rolls the ink onto the paper.
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.
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
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.
Look through of paper – the appearance of paper when viewed by transmitted light, thus disclosing
the texture or information of the sheet.
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.
Photo micrographs - A photograph made through 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 micrography - 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.
Photographic positive - print made by passing light through the negative generally unto
photographic paper.
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.
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.

 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.
 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
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 SEURITY THREAD
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
A wide glistening gold vertical stripe with the numerical value printed in series.
 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
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
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
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
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
Micro printings are the minute and finely printed words “Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinass” or “Central
Bank of the Philippines” located at the face or back of the note that are clearly printed and readable.
 CONCEALED VALUE
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
It changes color from green to blue or blue to green when the note is held at different angles.