The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has intercepted a Filipino national who attempted to travel using a counterfeit Belgian passport acquired from a seller on TikTok.
The apprehension occurred at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1, as the individual attempted to board a Kuwait Airlines flight en route to Ercan, Cyprus. She maintained that her journey included a transit through Kuwait before reaching her final destination of Izmir, Turkey.
Immigration officers commenced an investigation upon noting irregularities and inconsistencies on the passport stamps presented. Through meticulous screening, it was determined that not only the passport but also the residence card and immigration stamps were forged.
Initially, the individual claimed to be a Belgian national in a bid to justify the documents in question.
However, she later conceded that she was, in fact, a Filipino overseas worker. She revealed that she had paid P700,000 for the counterfeit passport, driven by the allure of visa-free travel to numerous countries.
Furthermore, she disclosed that she had been promised a caregiver position in Greece, offering a monthly salary of P180,000.