A male Japanese national was apprehended by Bureau of Immigration officers at the NAIA Terminal 1 when he tried to depart the country with a fictitious Special Resident Retiree's Visa (SRRV).
The Japanese national was identified as Yoshiaki Nakamura, 64, who was about to board his flight via Philippine Airlines bound for Osaka on Sunday, 19 November.
As per BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco, Nakamura was initially referred for secondary inspection by the BI primary inspector due to the presence of an apparent counterfeit visa in his possession.
The BI chief said that after validation of the SRRV presented by Nakamura from the BI's forensic document laboratory, it was revealed that the visa affixed to his passport was counterfeit.
Tansingco added that, in response to this incident, he immediately issued a stern warning to all foreign nationals, emphasizing the gravity of possessing counterfeit documents.
He also said that such actions violate the Philippine immigration laws and warrant serious consequences. The bureau remains committed to safeguarding the integrity of its immigration system and will take decisive action against those attempting to deceive or defraud it.
Nakamura is now being held at the BI Warden Facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City while awaiting his deportation. Also, the bureau placed his name on the BI blacklist, preventing him from re-entering the country.