BI nabs Togolese national for attempting to fly to Canada with fake visa

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Immigration (BI) arrested a Togolese national at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) Terminal 2 in Pasay City for attempting to fly to Canada with fake visa. 

BI Port Operations Division Chief Grifton Medina said 31-year old Amevi Gbansouvi was arrested Tuesday by members of the Bureau’s travel control and enforcement unit (TCEU).

Gbansouvi presented a fake Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) to fly to Toronto, Canada, Medina added.

“He wanted to use Manila as a jump-off point to gain illegal entry to Canada but his plan was foiled by our officers who discovered the bogus document in his possession,” Medina said in a statement issued Friday.

BI Naia 2 TCEU head Benlando Guevarra said Gbansouvi arrived as a transit passenger via a Philippine Airlines flight from Guangzhou, China.

Guevarra added BI officer John Peter Chua intercepted Gbansouvi and confirmed with Canadian authorities that the Togolese national’s ETA was not genuine. 

Gbansouvi is currently detained at BI’s detention facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City, pending his deportation for violating immigration laws. (Editor: Katherine G. Adraneda)