the Bureau of Immigration (BI) reiterated its earlier warning to foreign nationals not to attempt to submit fake entry exemption documents to its different ports of entry.
According to BI Commissioner Morente, he issued the warning given that some classes of foreign nationals may be allowed to enter the country upon presentation of entry exemption documents secured from the Philippine posts abroad.
“Unscrupulous individuals may attempt to falsify such documents,” said Morente. “We are warning you not to as we will be able to easily verify the authenticity of such papers,” he added.
The requirement, said the BI, was implemented following an Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases *(IATF) resolution revising the travel restrictions for inbound aliens.
In October, the BI released a similar warning after intercepting an alien seafarer attempting to enter the country using a falsified document.
Yesterday, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) released an advisory warning the public against scams related to the issuance of entry exemption documents for foreign nationals.
The DFA likewise encouraged the public to report such incidents to them for their action.
“Do not use falsified documents to enter the country,” said Morente. “You may visit our website, or send a message in our Facebook page should you need information about current travel restrictions,” he added.
BI reiterates warning on fake entry exemption documents
Early this month, BI officers in the different international airports have been ordered to thoroughly screen arriving foreigners despite having 9(a) temporary visitor’s visas and entry exemption documents to make sure that they have valid and legitimate purposes in visiting the country.
A memorandum order issued recently by BI Commissioner Jaime Morente reminded immigration inspectors manning the ports to conduct strict arrival formalities on arriving passengers despite having the required documents.
The memorandum was addressed to the heads Bureau’s Port Operations Division (POD), which supervises primary inspectors assigned at the airports’ immigration counters, and the intelligence division and Travel Control and Enforcement Unit (TCEU), which handles the secondary inspection of arriving aliens.
Morente’s order stemmed from last month’s interception of several Chinese nationals who arrived in the country with entry visas and entry exemption documents, who turned out to have misrepresented their purpose in traveling to the Philippines.
Source: Bureau of Immigration, Republic of the Philippines