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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider BI says fake pre-departure seminar certificate being used by human trafficking victims

BI says fake pre-departure seminar certificate being used by human trafficking victims

Published May 8, 2023 02:12 am
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has warned the public against scammers who are reportedly selling fake Guidance and Counseling Program (GCP) certificate issued by Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO). BIR Commissioner Norman Tansingco issued the warning after two women were apprehended at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) with counterfeit certificates. The GCP is a mandatory pre-departure seminar that equips Filipinos with adequate knowledge of social and cultural realities overseas. The fabricated certificates are being used to deceive authorities that the holder has completed the GCP and is, therefore, eligible to travel abroad. The women were caught after the primary inspectors suspected the authenticity of their documents and requested an official digital copy of the certificate, which they could not provide. One of the victims revealed that she paid an unknown person P2,000, while the other paid P5,000 to a certain "Ana". The CFO official at the airport verified that the GCP certificates were fraudulent. The women were referred to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) for further investigation.
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