A 27-year-old Filipina was barred from leaving the Philippines on Monday after presenting a counterfeit Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC) at NAIA Terminal 3, according to the Bureau of Immigration (BI).
The woman, bound for Hong Kong with a layover in Malaysia, was flagged when her OEC failed to register in the BI-Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) system. Upon verification, authorities discovered the document was fake and issued to another individual.
During questioning, the woman admitted she paid ₱10,000 to an individual in Parañaque to process the fraudulent certificate.
BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado emphasized the importance of their joint verification system with the DMW in detecting fraudulent activities. “The BI remains committed to protecting Filipinos by intercepting such attempts to use fake OECs. I strongly urge the public to process their documents through proper channels to avoid falling victim to scams,” he said.
The woman has been referred to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) for further investigation, including potential charges against her recruiter, the BI added.
