MANILA -- Four male Chinese nationals were intercepted for attempting to enter the country using fake Paraguayan passports at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), the Bureau of Immigration (BI) reported on Tuesday.
BI Travel Control and Enforcement Unit (TCEU) chief Ma. Timotea Barizo identified them as Chen Zhijian, Wang Wenjie, Wang Anding, and Wang Mingdi, all in their 30s.
They were intercepted at the NAIA Terminal 3 last November 18 when they arrived aboard an Emirates Airways flight from Dubai.
It was learned that upon presentation of the four Chinese-looking aliens of Paraguay passports, immigration officers became suspicious and noted several red flags, thus referring the matter to the BI TCEU for a secondary inspection.
“Upon interview, all four were unable to converse even in basic Spanish, which is the language used in Paraguay, which strengthened our doubt,” according to BI TCEU member Kate Martinez who conducted the assessment of the passengers.
“They likewise failed to show any other identification documents proving that they are citizens of that country,” she added.
Examinations conducted by the BI’s forensic documents laboratory confirmed that said Paraguayan passports were all counterfeit.
Martinez reported that the passengers later confessed their true nationality and surrendered their Chinese passports which were hidden in their luggage.
On the other hand, Barizo said three of the aliens, who attempted to enter as tourists using the fake documents, were immediately issued exclusion orders and booked on the first available flight to their port of origin.
However, Chen Zhijian was found to have a valid Special Retiree’s Resident Visa, and was hence turned over to the BI’s Legal Division for the initiation of deportation proceedings.
“All four shall be included in the BI’s blacklist to prevent them from re-entering the Philippines,” the BI official added. (PNA)
