BI nabs African woman for fake passport

MANILA, Philippines — An African woman was arrested for attempting to leave the country with a fake passport, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said Friday.

According to BI Port Operations Chief Grifton Medina, Safae Hazot Medin Omran, 31, was arrested last December 2 at the departure area of Mactan International Airport in Cebu.

Medina said the suspect was boarding a flight to Taipei, Taiwan en route to Vancouver, Canada when Immigration authorities intercepted and stopped her from leaving.

The suspect, Medina said, insisted she was a Canadian citizen but later admitted her true nationality by showing her Eritrean passport.

Medina said the suspect also eventually confessed she availed her Canadian passport for 18,000 Saudi Riyals in Riyadh.

BI Commissioner Jaime Morente ordered the filling of appropriate charges against Omran,  who is currently detained at the BI detention facility in Bicutan, Taguig City. /kga