The Bureau of Immigration reported that a professional basketball player was detained by immigration officers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport for trying to enter the country using a false Philippine passport.

BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco identified the individual as Avery Roberto Scharer, a 36-year-old an American, who was apprehended last Thursday upon his arrival at the NAIA Terminal 1.

Scharer had just arrived aboard via Philippine Airlines flight from Canada when he presented to the Immigration officer at the arrival area his American and Philippine passports.

However, the BI officer noticed major discrepancies and irregularities in his Philippine passport, which prompted the referral of the travel documents to the duty supervisor, who then endorsed the same to the bureau's forensic documents laboratory for examination.

The forensic laboratory later issued a certification confirming its findings that the Philippine passport presented by Scharer is fraudulent.

He allegedly posted on social media that he was wrongfully detained by Immigration authorities upon his arrival at the NAIA.

Tansingco said that their forensic equipment confirmed the suspicion of their BI officers that the Philippine passport he presented contained tampered pages, including the biographical data page.

"His attempt to conceal these alternations cannot escape the scrutiny of our inspectors and posting false information on social media to gain sympathy despite the violation further manifests undesirability. There are no sacred cows, as any foreign national who has violated immigration laws and presented fake documentation will be arrested," Tansingco said.

Scharer was later turned over to the BI legal division for inquest proceedings on charges of violating the Philippine passport act and for using a spurious immigration document. He will remain in the BI's detention center in Bicutan, Taguig pending the resolution of his case.