TRENTON — The Office of the New Jersey Attorney General uncovered an underground operation which sold fraudulent immigration and identification documents to illegal immigrants from the Philippines that led to the indictment of 19 New Jersey Filipinos who have been charged with trafficking in or using fraudulent documents to obtain valid driver’s licenses or identification documents.

Thirteen of the 19 defendants were arrested Wednesday morning and made their first appearance Thursday in Superior Courts in four different counties, according to Attorney General Peter C. Harvey, who added that authorities are still seeking the remaining six defendants.

The leading indictment identifies defendants Romi Lumba, 47, of 826 River Road, Teaneck, Bergen County, as the alleged broker of the fake documents and the person who would arrange for illegal aliens from the Philippines to obtain the documentation needed to remain in the U.S. He was charged with conspiracy, sale of simulated documents (8 counts), tampering with public records or information (9 counts), and forgery (9 counts).

Aside from Lumba, the other defendants were identified as: Mamerto Bonifacio (aka Albert Bonifacio), 35, of Bergenfield; Antonio Flores, 31, of Dumont; Edna Yabut, 43, of Dumont; Bernard Cancio, 36, of Jersey City; Mieko Lumba (aka Rafael Guinto III), 38, of Moonachie; Evelyn Legacione-Alvaran (aka Madeleine Lumba), 44, of Teaneck; Ann Monica Quiambao, 21, of Little Ferry; Kathleen Quiambao, 20, of Little Ferry; Cecilia Liwanag, 46, of Bergenfield; Romeo Musni, 38, of Bergenfield; Erick Silva, 38, of Maywood; Romeo Torre, 40, of Somerville; Buenaventura Cena, 61, of Hackensack; Edgar David, 43, of Bergenfield; Segismundo Dumlao, 38, of Manchester; Cecilia Ocampo, 38, of Maywood; Virgilio Sablan, 38, of Bogota; and Rodolfo Sarmiento, 53, of Teaneck.

Harvey said through the use of fraudulent Philippine passports, drivers’ licenses and other purportedly official Philippine and immigration documents, the alien residents were able to obtain valid New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) driver’s licenses and identification documents in an attempt to establish legitimate residency in the state.

The attorney general said the State Grand Jury returned 11 separate criminal indictments charging the defendants with varying crimes including forgery, tampering with public records, sale of simulated documents, falsifying records, and conspiracy. The charges carry penalties of up to five years in state prison and fines up to $15,000 if convicted, Harvey said.

The indictments charge that Lumba sold Philippine passports with counterfeit immigration stamps — which are either a green card issued by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or the stamp affixed to a foreign passport which allows employment until a green card is issued — that appeared valid, as well as Philippine drivers’ licenses, which would allow the illegal immigrant to bypass taking a New Jersey driver’s test and to obtain a valid New Jersey driver’s license.

The authentic-looking Philippine documents were submitted to the ICE’s Forensic Document Laboratory where expert document examiners determined that the documents were counterfeit. The Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General also assisted with additional document verification.

The statewide investigation determined that while Lumba was a Bergen County resident, he would travel to the Eatontown MVC office in Monmouth County to obtain the driving and ID credentials. Investigators are still determining whether any MVC employee assisted Lumba or participated in the alleged illegal activity.

The defendants were processed at the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office and were transported to county jails for first appearances and bail hearings on June 16 in Bergen, Monmouth, Ocean and Passaic County Superior Courts. Harvey said ICE will determine the immigration status of the defendants and will take appropriate action, including deportation, if warranted.

Harvey said all charges at this point are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

“The Office of Counter-Terrorism initiated this investigation in part because document fraud is so often a terrorist precursor crime,” said Sidney J. Caspersen, director of the New Jersey Office of Counter-Terrorism. “In this case, the individuals involved managed to obtain valid U.S. drivers’ licenses fraudulently, just as a number of 9/11 hijackers did.”

“Moreover, we know that the Philippines has increasingly become a theater for terrorist groups, some with connections to al-Qaeda,” Caspersen said.

“When in the end there is no connection to terrorism, we will work with other agencies in the Attorney General’s Office, as well as our federal, county and local partners, as we did in this case to prosecute the criminal activity.”

The indictments result from a 20-month investigation which targeted the sale of fraudulent Philippine identification documents which were used to obtain valid New Jersey drivers’ licenses at a black market, or street price of $1,000.