A 41-year-old Filipina and her Moroccan companion were intercepted at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 amid suspicions of involvement in a mail-order-bride scheme.
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) flagged the pair after inconsistencies surfaced during separate interviews. The woman claimed she was heading to Morocco with her husband, but their conflicting answers raised red flags for immigration officers.
“Upon separate questioning, both appeared evasive and suspicious when asked about the details of their travel,” said BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado.
Further investigation revealed that the marriage certificate they submitted was fake. The BI’s anti-fraud section confirmed the document’s inauthenticity after a thorough forensic check.
“We will not tolerate the use of fake or falsified documents being used in trafficking efforts. Individuals caught using fake documents shall face the harshest penalty of law,” Viado stressed.
Both individuals were turned over to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) for further investigation.
