The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority sought the help of the Quezon City Police District-District Special Operations Unit in conducting an entrapment operation against three individuals who were illegally selling complimentary Metro Manila Film Festival tickets.

A statement from the MMDA showed 46 tickets were sold illegally through Facebook at P1,300 to P1,500 each. The initial transaction was done through online selling.

One of the suspects and the poseur buyer met up for the ticket last 14 December in Quezon City. The ticket was certified by the MMFF Secretariat as fake.

Prior to this, MMDA chairman Atty. Romando Artes issued a warning about the modus of some shadowy persons that sell MMFF tickets even without the authority to do so.

He warned the public not to buy such tickets because it is deemed fake since the organizers of the film festival have yet to release the tickets.

As a result, an entrapment operation was done to apprehend the first suspect who eventually revealed his cohort. Forty counterfeit tickets were intercepted.

During the interrogation, the two revealed their source of the MMFF tickets who was also apprehended later.

"As the MMDA chairman and concurrent overall MMFF chairman, I strongly condemn the acts of these enterprising individuals who are using the Metro Manila Film Festival as a business venture by selling fake complimentary tickets," Artes said.

The passes are "STRICTLY NOT FOR SALE" and no persons or groups are authorized to distribute them for sales or any profiteering purposes.

The three suspects have already undergone an inquest procedure and will be charged with Estafa through Falsification of Public Documents concerning RA 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012. They are now in the custody of the police.

Artes said, "With this unfortunate incident, I urge the public not to patronize MMFF tickets sold online and instead report to us these unlawful activities."

Anyone who will be caught selling or buying complimentary tickets shall be sanctioned by the law.