More fake, tampered documents turn up at DFA

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Monday warned the public anew against advertisements on social media offering passport appointment slots and fake or tampered appointment documents amid the high demand for passport services. The DFA issued the warning after several cases of fake documents from unwitting applicants who claimed to have secured appointments through social media turned up at the DFA in recent weeks. A female Twitter user bared that the sale of passport appointment services on social media ranged from P800 to P1,500. “Some fall victim to such schemes due to the long wait for available slots online,” she said. The DFA said only 6,100 slots per day were available now because of restrictions brought about by the pandemic. —TINA G. SANTOS