BI detains Syrian national for using other passport

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MANILA, Philippine–The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Friday announced the arrest of a Syrian national attempting to enter the country using a Kiribati passport.

BI Port Operations Chief Grifton Medina said Al Naasan Ibrahim was arrested last Feb. 22 at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 upon his arrival aboard the Malaysian Airlines from Kuala Lumpur.

After presenting his Kiribati passport, Ibrahim was subjected to secondary inspection and interview where he admitted his true nationality and presented his Syrian passport hidden in his luggage.

Medina said Ibrahim intends to use the Kiribati passport in going to Sweden to study.

Ibrahim told Immigration personnel that he bought his Kiribati passport for US$5,000 from a Jordanian national based in Siem Reap, Cambodia. He was also given a Kiribati national identity card and certificate of nationality which the syndicate also gave him.

Ibrahim is currently detained at the BI Detention facility in Bicutan, Taguig City pending his prosecution for violating the country’s Immigration Act. /jpv