The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has expressed concern on the increasing number of cases involving the use of counterfeit documents by individuals who wish to travel abroad.
In a statement released on Saturday, Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco said he is both concerned and frustrated by the proliferation of fake documents.
“These syndicates are issuing fake documents and sweet-talk our kababayans into agreeing to their illegal schemes,” Tansingco said.
“Never agree to these kinds of arrangements, and only apply through the Department of Migrant Workers,” he added.
In the past week, the BI has received several cases at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), where individuals were accosted after presenting fraudulent documents.
On May 21, a male passenger bound for Bangkok, Thailand, was intercepted at the NAIA Terminal 3. The recruitment victim was revealed to have been instructed to pose as a tourist bound for Malta where he was recruited with the help of a relative.
The following day, two female victims were interviewed at the NAIA Terminal 1 while attempting to travel to Dubai. They presented counterfeit Kingdom of Saudi Arabia re-entry visas, despite their actual intention to seek employment in Dubai. One of the victims disclosed that she had met a recruiter on Facebook, who provided them with the forged documents just outside the airport before their departure.
Meanwhile on May 23, the BI intercepted two female passengers bound for Poland at the NAIA Terminal 1. The individuals were caught presenting counterfeit overseas employment certificates, which they had acquired through Facebook. It was revealed that they had paid Php500 online for the fake documents.
