Fake access pass at NAIA a recurring problem, BI spox says

Bureau of Immigration (BI) spokesperson Dana Sandoval on Friday said the use of fake access passes at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) has been a recurring problem.

Interviewed on GMA News’ Unang Balita, Sandoval said the BI authorities had intercepted an entry using a fake access pass in 2014.

“I believe so po kasi in the past nakapag-intercept na po ang Bureau as early as 2014 ng mga ganitong insidente. So we see po that it's a recurring problem. Mawawala po siya kapag nahuhuli, babalik na naman po after a while. It's really a cause for concern,” she said.

(I believe so because the Bureau had intercepted such incidents in 2014. So we see that it's a recurring problem. It would disappear if caught and return after a while. It's really a cause for concern.)

Senator Risa Hontiveros earlier bared the case of 12 overseas Filipino workers who were rescued from a Chinese syndicate based in Myanmar.

One of the victims, "Paulo," said that escorts facilitating the departure of trafficked individuals at the NAIA gave them fake exit stamps to bypass the BI.

Based on BI records, Sandoval said the escorts named by the victims are not employees of the Bureau.

Sandoval also clarified that the “modus” does not go through the BI because the escorts and victims used the entrance for employees and other entry points.

“They enter through separate areas for employees po so nakahiwalay po yan, hindi siya dumadaan sa Immigration area (it is a separate area, they do not go through the Immigration area),” she said.

“Nakakadiretso po sila doon sa (They are able to go straight to the) boarding gate pretending that they are employees of the different concessionaires inside the airport,” she added.

According to Sandoval, the fake access passes were given outside the airport to the victims in “costumes.”

With untrained eyes, Sandoval said the fake BI stamp looks similar to the authentic one. However, she said that there are inconsistencies with the security features of the stamp.

Asked about the possible liability of security personnel, Sandoval said the BI is calling for a comprehensive probe on the matter considering there might be a connivance with government and private employees.

Sandoval said it seems that there is a big syndicate behind it.

“Mukhang malaki-laki pong sindikato na ito who knows the ingress point, egress point ng airport so we see po na maaaring may kakilala o kakuntyaba doon po sa different agencies inside the airport premises kasi naabuso po yung mga employees entrance and different points po ng pagpasok,” she said.

(It looks like this is a huge syndicate who knows the  ingress and egress points of the airport so we see that there might be accomplices in different agencies inside the airport premises because the employees; entrance and other entry points were abused.) — RSJ, GMA Integrated News