Filipino woman misses flight after ‘brief’ immigration quizzing at NAIA

SCREENGRAB from Facebook

A FILIPINO woman missed her flight to Singapore on June 17 after claiming to be withheld by immigration officials for a “brief” interview at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

In a Facebook post on June 18, a certain Julieanne Dela Cruz said the immigration office at NAIA held her for about one and a half hour, which caused her to miss the Cebu Pacific Flight 5J803 from Manila to Singapore.

“Kakaantay ko sa kanila, every 10 to 20 minutes nagre-remind ako na baka pwede na akong ma-interview kasi boarding ko na. Lagi nilang sinasabi sa’kin, ‘Saglit lang, Ma’am. I-interviewhin lang naman kayo niyan. Mabilis lang ‘yun,” she said.

Dela Cruz, who was supposed to travel as tourist, said she was interviewed by a certain Ms. Rezano only 10 minutes before boarding time. Five minutes before the flight schedule, she added the immigration official asked her for proof that the person she was going to visit in Singapore was indeed her relative.

Dela Cruz said according to immigration guidelines, the only requirements were invitation and personal identification of the person to be visited.

“So ang i-prinesent ko sa kanya ay passport nung taong pupuntahan ko, invitation niya, Singapore at Philippine ID niya,” she said. “Inupdate ako ni kuyang taga-Cebu Pacific, sabi niya ‘Ma’am door closed na po.’”

She added the immigration official also demanded for a birth certificate of his deceased grandfather.

“Na-shock ako, sabi ko ‘yung lolo ko patay na, at saka napaka-imposible na ako ‘yung babyahe pero siya ‘yung hinahanapan mo ng papers. Sabi niya, proof lang na kapamilya ko daw ‘yung titirhan ko kasi masyado na raw common ‘yung Dela Cruz,” she said.

“Napaka-imposible naman na magdala pa ako ng documents ng lolo kong patay na sa pag-tour ko? Kahit sinong mag-tour, walang magdadala ng pinapadala niya,” she added.

Dela Cruz said she had to rebook her flight, which cost her P9,000.

“Para akong na-scam dahil sa nangyari na ‘yung ticket ko pala binasura na nila dahil naiwan ako kaka-interview sa immigration,” she said.

The Bureau of Immigration is yet to release a statement.