By Jun Ramirez
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has asked the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and police authorities to investigate syndicates issuing fake Philippine passports and other identification papers to illegal aliens.
Bureau of Immigration (MANILA BULLETIN)
BI Commissioner Jaime Morente made the request following the arrest of two male Indian nationals in a condominium in Mandaluyong City.
“Syndicates that assist aliens in acquiring Philippine documents are still out there and may have security implications," BI Commissioner Jaime Morente said.
BI intelligence operatives apprehended Satbir Sandhu, 25, and Mandish Sandhu, 24 for falsely claiming they were Filipinos.
BI intelligence chief Fortunato Manahan Jr., said Mandish presented an original Philippine passport under the name Jeff Sunga Sandhu, while his brother Satbir showed a Philippine postal ID and Manila police clearance under the name Sunny Sunga Sandhu, a Filipino national.
Manahan stated that the duo’s fingerprint records revealed they were former Philippine residents and used Indian passports.
Mandish was likewise found in possession of a Philippine birth certificate, claiming he has a Filipino mother.
“Illegal aliens would acquire authentic documentation saying that they are Filipinos, and would at times possess birth certificates that were registered late. From this, they are able to acquire more Philippine IDs,” he added.
It can be recalled that three years ago, 177 Indonesians were intercepted by the BI for carrying fraudulently-acquired Philippine passports.
In September 2018, the BI likewise arrested and deported a Chinese woman for using a Philippine passport to work in the country.