Bureau of Immigration (BI) officers intercepted a Canadian man suspected to be a fake Filipino.
According to a report given to BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco by the Travel Control and Enforcement Unit (TCEU) acting head Ann Camille Mina, the subject, 49 years old, was referred by primary inspectors after attempting to depart for Taiwan via an Eva Air flight at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1.
The foreign-looking suspect presented a Philippine passport, but raised the officer’s suspicion after he was found unable to speak Filipino or any Philippine dialect. He was likewise unable to answer basic questions about his identity.
BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval said that verification made in the BI’s database revealed that the suspect had multiple travels in the country using a Canadian and a Hong Kong passport, and is a holder of a permanent residence visa.
Upon interview, he later admitted that it was his lawyer who processed his birth certificate for the application of his passport.
BI officers suspect that his passport and birth certificate were fraudulently-acquired.
The suspect was later turned over to the BI’s Legal Division for inquest and charging for violation of the Philippine Immigration Act, Sandoval said. (JERRY S. TAN)
