A female Ugandan was excluded by officers of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Thursday evening for presenting a fraudulent passport.
The Ugandan was identified as Phiona Apolot, 28, who arrived on board an Air Asia flight from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
It was reported that Apolot was apprehended by immigration officers after identifying irregularities in her passport.
The document was referred to the duty supervisor, who then submitted to the BI’s anti-fraud section for forensic examination.
It was later confirmed that the passport submitted was indeed fraudulent, raising concerns about her true identity and intentions.
“This incident serves as a stern reminder to all would-be offenders that our immigration officers are highly trained and equipped to detect and intercept individuals attempting to circumvent our immigration laws,” said BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco. “We will continue to enhance our efforts in collaboration with international partners to combat illegal activities and maintain the highest level of security,” he added.
Apolot was immediately excluded and will board the next available flight back to her port of origin.
