The case of five passengers with the same name on the same flight to Caticlan, Aklan, was too much of a coincidence for the aviation police.
Chief Supt. Pablo Francisco Balagtas, director of the Philippine National Police Aviation Security Group (PNP-Avsegroup), warned the public of persons selling online fake airline tickets, under assumed names, at cheap prices.
Balagtas said that although the five men accosted on May 2 were apparent victims of the scam, they underwent inquest proceedings on Monday for falsification of commercial documents at the Pasay City prosecutor’s office. But the inquest prosecutor ordered the five passengers’ release for further investigation.
The Avsegroup chief said the passengers came under suspicion when each used a ticket bearing the same name to check in on an early morning flight at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 to the Godofredo P. Ramos airport, commonly known as the Caticlan airport, one of the two gateways to Boracay Island.
He said that the airline supervisor noticed that five people checked into the flight under the same name and immediately reported the anomaly to the Avsegroup.
The policemen accosted the departing passengers at the boarding gate and held them for questioning at the Avsergoup headquarters.
Balagtas did not identify the passengers nor give the name they used so as not to jeopardize follow-up operations against the seller of the fake airline tickets.
“They had the same name on a ticket for the same flight which is really suspicious,” the Avsegroup chief told the Philippine Daily Inquirer, adding the passengers should not have bought the ticket upon learning they were to use a fake name.
He pointed out the cheap price was most likely the reason why the passengers agreed to buy an airline ticket under an assumed name.
It was learned that an airline ticket from Manila to Caticlan could cost at least P5,000. Balagtas said that the online seller could have offered half the price or even lower.
“It is really safer to buy tickets directly from the airline firms,” he said.
Balagtas assured the public that the Avsegroup, airport police, and airline companies have been working closely to identify and arrest the source of the fake tickets. SM