Woman with fake Overseas Employment Certificate intercepted at NAIA
A 47-year-old lady passenger was intercepted at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) for presenting a fake Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC), the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said on Tuesday, July 22.
The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) issues OEC as proof that a Filipino has been documented to work abroad.
BI Commissioner Joel Anthony M. Viado said the woman, whose identity has been withheld in accordance with anti-trafficking laws, was intercepted by immigration officers last July 19 before she could board her flight to Kuwait.
In a statement, the BI said that immigration officers were alerted by airport staff about the suspicious movements of the woman at NAIA.
It said that initial checks showed that her name did not appear in the joint system between the BI and the DMW. On secondary inspection conducted in coordination with DMW personnel, it was confirmed that the OEC presented was issued to a different person, it added.
Thereafter, the BI said the woman eventually admitted paying a fixer P2,010 through a cash bank transfer for OEC assistance.
The case has been referred to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) for appropriate action, it said.
Viado said: “Shortcuts do not work anymore. Our systems are now linked with the DMW and fake documents can easily be detected.”
He warned that “anyone who attempts to bypass legal procedures not only risks being stopped, but may also face legal consequences.”