Agents of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) have arrested six foreigners who allegedly attempted to leave and enter the country with fake travel documents.
Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco said the foreign passengers were apprehended on separate occasions during the first week of February by BI officers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
“They attempted to leave the country and evade punishment for their immigration offenses by using spurious travel documents, an offense punishable by deportation under the Philippine Immigration Act,” said Tansingco.
First to be arrested was Indian national Harpreet Singh Ahitan, 32, who was caught with a fake immigration visa extension on his passport before he could board an Air Asia flight to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
This was followed by the arrest of Chinese national Zhang Yang, 30, who attempted to leave via a Philippine Airlines flight to Bangkok but was found to have a fake Philippine visa affixed in his passport.
Indian national Maleet Singh, 42, was barred from boarding his Thai Airways flight to Singapore after BI officers found that the immigration arrival stamp on his passport is counterfeit.
Korean national Lee Jihun, 38, was intercepted for having been found to be wanted in Korea for electronic financial fraud.
Taiwanese national identified as Lin Chia Hao, 29, who arrived on board a Saudia flight from Jeddah, was found to have a fake Philippine visa on his passport.
South Korean Kang Juchun, 38, was arrested for murder charges in his home country.
They are currently detained at the BI hold facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City, pending deportation.