The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) arrested a man for distributing fake licenses allegedly from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), authorities said on Friday.

In a press briefing, the bureau stated that the suspect was arrested on 8 June during an entrapment operation after handing fraudulent documents to undercover personnel.

Cavite North District Office Chief Czar Eric Nuqui said the suspect charged P15,000 for fake aircraft mechanic and pilot licenses.

Nuqui also noted that the suspect was in charge of deliveries, indicating the involvement of a larger group.

“As for the one we caught, he was only the delivery person. Someone else makes them, someone else handles the transactions. The suspect was taking certain security precautions. This isn’t a shallow transaction, it could be a syndicate,” he said.

Meanwhile, CAAP Intelligence and Investigation Division Chief General Dionisio Robles said they had no prior knowledge of the suspect and are determining whether he had any ties to CAAP authorities. The agency has requested the NBI's assistance in verifying this.

"We noticed that whoever was making the licenses had some idea of what official CAAP documents look like. That’s why we’ve asked the NBI to help us find out if someone from CAAP could be involved," Robles said.

Aside from the impact on the aviation industry due to the use of fake licenses, Robles warned that this may also affect the credibility of Filipino applicants seeking work abroad.

"This has a major impact, especially on those applying overseas, particularly aircraft maintenance technicians. Validation of licenses by foreign companies from the Philippines already takes time. If an unlicensed technician is performing aircraft maintenance checks, is something wrong."

The suspect will be charged with a violation of Article 172 of the Revised Penal Code for falsification by a private individual and use of falsified documents.