MANILA – A Taiwanese wanted for drug-related crimes and two Indian nationals using fake immigration stamps were recently apprehended by Bureau of Immigration (BI) officers at the Clark International Airport.
BI Intelligence Division chief Fortunato Manahan Jr. identified the Taiwanese as Lai Po Ving, 33, and the Indian nationals as Amritpal, 30 and Pritpal Singh, 24, who all attempted to board a Tiger Air flight bound for Singapore last Oct. 6.
He said Lai initially presented his Turkish passport bearing the name Lai Bulut along with his Special Investor's Resident Visa (SIRV) card.
But after further verification of his travel history and documents, it was learned that he is the subject of a summary deportation order issued last April 2021 for violation of the terms and conditions of his stay under the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940.
The foreigner was also discovered to be wanted by the Taiwan Police Attache for violation of the Anti-Illegal Drug Act.
"He tried to evade prosecution for his crime by using his Turkish passport, but his plan was foiled by our officers who were very thorough in checking his records," said Manahan in a statement.
Meanwhile, Amritpal and Singh were intercepted for having passports that were affixed with counterfeit Philippine entry visas, visa extension stickers, and arrival stamps.
The three erring foreign nationals were turned over to the BI’s legal division pending deportation proceedings.
BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco commended immigration officers for the triple apprehension.
"These arrests are a testament to our officers' vigilance in manning our ports. Rest assured that we will remain true to our mission to contribute to national security and development,” he said.
He also warned foreigners who try to evade immigration laws by using false documents.
"These attempts to use (fake) visas and stamps to clear immigration inspection are futile. Our officers undergo rigorous training to detect dubious documents," Tansingco said. (PNA)
