MANILA, Philippines -- Authorities have arrested a Singaporean man suspected of being a courier for a human trafficking ring at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

Immigration Commissioner Marcelino Libanan said R. Murliy, a Singaporean, was apprehended by Bureau of Immigration officers as he was about to board a Canada-bound flight with a Sri Lankan identified as Vignesvaran Saravanan on June 27.

Libanan said Saravanan was traveling on a tampered Singaporean passport, alerting the authorities. He also presented a fake Singaporean identity card, airport immigration supervisor Ferdinand Sampol said in a report on the arrests released Saturday.

The two are being held at the immigration jail in Bicutan, Taguig City, while awaiting a deportation hearing. They face expulsion and blacklisting from the country.