The Bureau of Immigration reported on Saturday, 2 September, the arrest of three foreign nationals at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport for violation of immigration laws.

Last Thursday, the BI arrested a Thai national identified as Teerasade Phutthichotiruksa, a 43-year-old male who attempted to depart via a Thai Airways flight to Bangkok but was intercepted by the Bureau during the primary inspection.

Phutthichotiruksa, according to the BI-NAIA, showed up for his immigration procedures at NAIA Terminal 3 for departure, but the immigration officer found anomalies and irregularities in the stamps placed on his passport.

This prompted the BI officer to submit his document for further inspection through the BI's Forensic Documents Laboratory. The BI Forensic Team inspected his travel documents and confirmed that the stamps shown on his passport were counterfeit.

As a result, Phutthichotiruksa was arrested, read his rights, and immediately transferred to the BI Warden Facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City, where the deportation process could begin.

BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco said that this case underscores the importance of their immigration officers' vigilance and expertise in detecting fake documents. Their officers are trained to spot irregularities and will arrest foreign nationals who attempt to use fraud to be able to travel.

Meanwhile, on 1 September the BI also arrest of two Chinese fugitives in separate incidents.

At the NAIA Terminal 3 the Bureau arrested a Chinese national identified as Chen Changdian, 32, after he attempted to depart via Scoot Airlines bound for Singapore.

Upon primary inspection, the immigration officer found that Chen's name was in the BI's database of persons with derogatory records. Chen is the subject of an Interpol red notice after being wanted for prosecution in the United Arab Emirates for the crime of murder in 2022. Based on the BI data base, Chen arrived in the country on May 2022, but his name was only tagged as a fugitive by Interpol in November 2022.

At the NAIA Terminal 1, the Bureau arrested a Chinese woman who was identified as Lyu Yani, 30-year-old, departing via Philippine Airlines flight bound for Bangkok.