BI warns syndicate victimizing Africans likely operating in PH

Bureau of Immigration in Intramuros, Manila. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/ ALEXIS CORPUZ

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Monday said that a syndicate victimizing Africans – particularly nationals of Senegal – might be operating in the country.

This comes as the BI noted its recent arrests where Senegalese were caught in possession of passports with fraudulent stamps and visas.

“This implies that there might be a syndicate that defrauds these Africans, and offers to fix their documents, but instead gives them fake ones,” BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco said in a statement.

Last March, the bureau intercepted three Senegalese passengers, including two minors, at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport for attempting to leave with fake BI stamps and Schengen visas on their passports.

READ: 3 suspected human trafficking victims intercepted at Mactan-Cebu airport

This April, it also reported intercepting the application of a Senegalese man with a fake BI stamp on his passport.

READ: Senegalese faces deportation after presenting fake passport

Tansingco reminded foreigners not to trust “fixers” and to instead report them to the police.

“Foreign nationals in the country should not seek the assistance of fixers that promise to process your papers illegally,” he said. “Report these fixers immediately to the police so they can be arrested and jailed,” he said. —Aliah Gumasing, trainee

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