The Bureau of Immigration (BI) warned arriving aliens with fake quarantine bookings that they may face deportation.
In a statement, the BI said that arriving aliens with fake documents may “be referred back to BI for the initiation of deportation proceedings.”
The agency issued the warning following the implementation of the resolution suspending the travel of foreign nationals into the Philippines by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF).
“Only certain classes of foreign nationals will be allowed starting today, until April 21,” BI Commissioner Jaime Morente clarified.
The Bureau of Immigration will be strictly implementing the rule to deport foreign nationals who will be submitting fake quarantine bookings.
The BI also emphasized that “they will be doubly strict in ensuring foreign nationals submit valid and legitimate quarantine bookings, given the surge of COVID-19 cases in the country.”
The Department of Tourism (DOT) has issued a similar warning on Tuesday for local tourists who tamper documents such as swab test results that they may be imprisoned for up to six months.
“Should foreign nationals be found to have faked their quarantine bookings, they may be referred by the Department of Tourism (DOT) back to the BI for the initiation of deportation proceedings, and they will also be blacklisted from the country,” Morente explained.
The BI also reminded the public that “currently, Filipinos, as well as their spouse and children who are traveling with them, are allowed to enter the country provided that said foreign nationals are able to present a valid and existing visa at the time of entry.”
“Also allowed to enter are diplomats and members of international organizations, and their dependents with a valid 9(e) visa or 47(a)2 visa, and foreign seafarers for crew change with valid 9(c) visa,” the immigration bureau added.
Emergency and humanitarian cases may also be allowed to enter given the approval of the National Task Force (NTF) COVID-19, while foreign nationals involved in medical repatriation endorsed by the Department of Foreign Affairs – Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs (DFA – OUMWA) and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) may also be allowed entry. Said cases must be able to present a valid visa at the time of entry. – Kenneth Paciente
