Senegalese probed for ‘fake’ passport, border arrival stamp
A SENEGALESE is under investigation after being accused of presenting a fraudulent passport and border arrival stamp, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said.
BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco, the 37-year-old Senegalese filed an application for the extension of his tourist visa earlier this month.
BI tourist visa section chief Raymond Remigio reported that his team noted various discrepancies in the man’s documentation. Frontliner Desiree Maliksi doubted the authenticity of the passport and referred the matter to him for secondary check.
They submitted the subject’s documents to the BI’s forensic documents laboratory, which confirmed the passport and border stamp presented were counterfeit.
Tansingco lauded the work of immigration personnel and warned foreigners against forgery. “Our personnel are highly-skilled in fraud detection, so schemes like this will definitely be caught. We will deport anyone who tries to defraud the system,” he warned.
The alien is now under investigation, and is set to be charged with violation of Immigration laws. He faces deportation and blacklisting, effectively barring him from re-entering the country. By JUN I. LEGASPI & HECTOR LAWAS
