BUREAU of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Norman Tansingco expressed concern over recent interceptions of foreign nationals “misrepresenting as Filipino citizens.”

It can be recalled that earlier this month, the BI reported intercepting a Hong Kong-Canadian national suspected of “pretending” to be a Filipino citizen.

The BI’s Travel Control and Enforcement Unit (TCEU) recorded two more cases of misrepresentation this month at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

Apprehended at the NAIA Terminal 3 last January 17 is a 35-year-old woman identified as Nong Thi Luyen.

The suspect attempted to depart to Vietnam via a Cebu Pacific Airways flight to Saigon.

Nong, who initially presented a Philippine passport bearing a Philippine name, raised the suspicion of immigration officers when she could not answer basic details about her identity.

“She later admitted during questioning that she is a Vietnamese citizen and that she last arrived in the country almost two decades ago,” Tansingco added.

“Apparently, she wanted to evade overstaying penalties, so she resorted to misrepresenting herself,” he added.

A later investigation confirmed that the foreigner’s Philippine passport belonged to someone else.

Also intercepted at the NAIA Terminal 1 last January 23 was Hailan Zhang, 36, who attempted to depart the country via a Thai airways flight to Hanoi.

Hailan allegedly presented a Philippine passport and carried identification cards and permits, claiming he was a “businessman” in the country.

However, the officers noted numerous inconsistencies in his statements, and he later admitted his real identity.

The BI’s forensic documents laboratory also certified that while his Philippine passport was genuine, it bore a fake BI departure stamp.

The two aliens were charged with violating the Philippine Immigration Act and will remain at the BI’s Warden Facility in Taguig City pending their deportation. BY JUN I. LEGASPI & HECTOR LAWAS