A trial court in Pasay City has convicted a woman for using a fake immigration stamp on her passport, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said on Wednesday, Sept. 24.
Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony M. Viado said that convicted by the Metropolitan Trial Court in Cities (MTCC) was Melissa Dy for use of falsified documents penalized under Article 172 of the Revised Penal Code (RPC).
Viado said that Dy, who pleaded guilty to the charge, was sentenced to imprisonment ranging from two years, four months and one day up to three years, six months and 20 days, and ordered to pay a fine of P1,000.
A copy of the MTCC decision was not given by the BI.
The BI said that Dy was intercepted at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 on May 28, 2025 before she could board a flight to Thailand.
It said that Dy admitted that she was recruited to work in an offshore gaming company in Mae Sot, Thailand.
“However, instead of going through the legal route for overseas workers, Dy decided to avail of the services of a male fixer, who promised her immigration assistance by affixing a fake immigration stamp on her passport and boarding pass,” it also said.
Viado warned: “Let this be a warning to those who may choose to use this route. Those who insist on using fake documents may face jail time.”
The commissioner said that immigration officers are trained to detect fake documents, and the BI has a forensic documents laboratory that can confirm fraud or forgery.