Nigerian national nabbed at NAIA after presenting fake COVID-19 test result


A Nigerian national was taken into custody on Tuesday night, June 22 after he was caught with a fake negative result from a supposed coronavirus disease (COVID-19) test at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

(Ariel Fernandez / MANILA BULLETIN)

Arrested by members of the Philippine National Police-Aviation Security Group (PNP-ASG) and Airport Police Department (APD) was Abdelkhalig Mohamed Mirgani Azrag, 19, of Nigeria.

APD Chief Col. Adrian Tucson said Abdelkhalig presented a fake reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test result at the airline counter of NAIA Terminal 1 on Tuesday. He was supposed to board an Ethiopian Airlines flight.

Upon verification of the foreigner's documents, it was found out that the RT-PCR test result he showed was fake.

Check-in counter personnel Abigail Calma of Ethiopian Airlines immediately alerted police at the terminal. The foreigner was nabbed.

Taking into account the possibility that Abdelkhalig was COVID-19 positive, law enforcers brought him to an isolation facility pending his inquest proceeding at the Pasay City Prosecutor's office.