MANILA — The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has made significant strides in combating document fraud, detecting a total of 241 fraudulent and counterfeit documents in 2023. This accomplishment can be attributed to the agency’s modern equipment, which Commissioner Norman Tansingco proudly stated is on par with those used by other agencies abroad.
Equipped with five new video spectral comparators, the BI has a cutting-edge digital imaging system that allows for advanced forensic-level document examination. These machines have proven instrumental in the detection of fraudulent documents, contributing to the agency’s success in this area.
The Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship, through the Australian Embassy in the Philippines, generously donated two of these state-of-the-art machines to the Bureau of Immigration last year. With these video spectral comparators, the agency is able to verify the authenticity of various travel and identity documents, including passports, identification cards, visas, and permits.
In a recent BI news release, the Anti-Fraud Section highlighted that the fraudulent documents detected included birth and marriage certificates used for visa applications, passports, visas, and immigration stamps utilized for international travel. Commissioner Tansingco emphasized the importance of their modern equipment in combating document fraud, stating, “Apart from our immigration officers who are skilled in detecting fraud, fake documents can already be detected by our modern equipment. Those who attempt to use spurious documents will definitely be intercepted.”
In a separate development, the Bureau of Immigration has taken decisive action to protect the country from individuals with a history of sexual offenses. Based on data from the sex offender registry, the agency recently denied entry to three male American sex offenders.
Two individuals, aged 73 and 56, were turned away and immediately deported upon their arrival at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Parañaque City from Taipei, Taiwan, and Shanghai, China, respectively, on January 10. Additionally, a 79-year-old individual arriving from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, at Mactan-Cebu International Airport on January 11 was also denied entry and deported.
Sex offender registries are implemented in several countries as a means to monitor the activities of individuals convicted of rape, sexual assault, or child molestation. By utilizing this valuable database, the Bureau of Immigration can effectively identify and prevent the entry of sex offenders into the country.
