Three suspects involved in a fake immigration stamp operation were apprehended by the Manila International Airport Authority Airport Police Department (MIAA-APD) at Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Friday.

Following the gathering of consolidated information from social media posts, it was discovered that an offer for travel services was being made through their assistance, even without the necessary travel documents.

APD Col. Bing Jose reported that at around 10 a.m., they conducted an entrapment operation at NAIA Terminal 3, resulting in the arrest of the three alleged suspects.

Col. Jose stated that I-PROBES NAIA 3 OIC Ria Anne Donato had requested their assistance in apprehending potential offenders who were falsifying immigration stamps, primarily targeting Filipinas seeking employment overseas to support their families.

The case stemmed from recent incidents that Donato reported to the APD chief on 26 December 2024.

These incidents involved several individuals who wanted to travel overseas but lacked the required travel documents, becoming victims after discovering they had been duped by the stamping of fake immigration documents.

Jose explained that his office formed a team led by the Police Intelligence and Investigation Department (PIID). This was based on an agreement between the poseur passenger (APD-PIID operative) and the respondent to meet on 14 February at NAIA Terminal 3, initiating discreet monitoring and an operation against the suspects.

The poseur passenger and one of the respondents agreed to meet at the NAIA Terminal 3 Southwing, 3rd-floor escalator near the comfort room.

During the scheduled meet-up, a woman appeared and approached the poseur passenger. Eventually, operatives monitored the movement of one of the respondents. Initially, she took the passenger’s passport and boarding pass bound for Singapore.

After taking the travel documents, she went straight to the 4th-floor parking lot area, where she met another suspect. Moments later, another female suspect appeared, seemingly the one assigned to stamp the passport of the poseur passenger.

At that point, members of the office promptly approached them to conduct verification. However, two of them immediately resisted and attempted to flee.

Upon verification, the authorities recovered an immigration stamp from their possession. During the inquiry, the suspects verbally admitted their involvement in such unscrupulous activity, victimizing aspiring individuals seeking to fly abroad.

Following the recovery of the evidence, it was sent to the Bureau of Immigration via I-PROBES NAIA 3 OIC Donato for analysis and confirmation, which verified that the immigration stamp was counterfeit.