The Bureau of Immigration has declared a war against a syndicate producing and supplying fraudulently acquired but authentic Philippine passports to illegal foreign nationals.
BI records showed that there were at least 10 recent cases of authentic Philippine passports used by illegal aliens.
Last April, the BI reported the case of Danny Wong, who attempted to depart for Cambodia, claiming that he was of Chinese-Korean-Filipino lineage. However, red flags warned the officers to further check and analyze his documents, which he later said were acquired for him by a compatriot. It was later confirmed to be a Korean named Kim Ho Cheol. In another case, early October, the BI reported the arrest of Faizan Muhammad, who presented a Philippine national ID.
Another Korean, Kwak Dong Hee, alias Erik Nacis was also arrested for overstaying. He was apprehended while trying to leave the country after the immigration officer noticed that he could not converse in Filipino and had trouble communicating in any local dialect. After being questioned, the Korean confessed that he illegally obtained the passport by paying more than P 120,000 to a compatriot in the Philippines.
In another incident, a Chinese passenger also presented a genuine Philippine passport bearing the name of Sonny Tamayo Liang upon his arrival from Bangkok at the NAIA Terminal 2. Although his passport is authentic, it registered a hit in the BI’s Interpol database, indicating that it was a stolen and lost travel document.
Also apprehended by the BNI was a 49-year-old Canadian who also presented a genuine Philippine passport but who was also unable to speak Filipino or any Philippine dialect. The Canadian later, confessed that it was his unnamed lawyer who processed his birth certificate for the application of his passport.
With the rise in fraudulently obtained national documents, respective agencies have been notified and all aliens were charged with violations of the Philippine Immigration Act and has been blacklisted by the bureau.
With additional report: The Manila Times, WIlliam B. Depasupil
