DFA confirms tampering of Lim Pe’s passport

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Friday confirmed that the passport of a certain Joseph Lim Pe was tampered and used to get out of the country. .

“As to the allegations that former Palawan Governor Joel Reyes used the passport of Mr. Lim Pe we are still investigating on that issue, but initial investigation results showed that there was tampering in the passport of Mr. Lim Pe,” Raul Hernandez, DFA spokesperson said in an interview with reporters.

“Basically parang dinoktor yung passport ni Mr. Pe para magamit ng isang tao sa pagalis niya out of the country…..The data page including the photo part of it was tampered,” Hernandez added.

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has earlier reported that a passport under the name of Joseph Lim Pe was used last March to leave the country but could still not confirm it was former Palawan Governor Joel Reyes who used it.

Reports also had it that sources from the Immigration Department said Reyes, tagged in the killing of journalist Gerry Ortega, sneaked out of the country last March 18 on Cebu Pacific Flight 5J751 bound for Vietnam. He allegedly used a passport with the name Joseph Lim Pe. The passport was issued only last February 3, 2012.

Malacanang has also raised to P2 million the reward for information leading to the arrest Reyes.

Hernandez also said that both passports of Pe and Reyes have been cancelled by the agency and that they have alerted foreign posts and authorities of countries on the incident.

“He cannot use the passport anymore. Wherever he is he cannot use it to leave that place because the governments of the countries have been alerted,” Hernandez said.

Hernanez said that based on their records, a certain Joseph Lim Pe applied for a passport and he was issued an electronic passport (e-passport) but that there was no e-passport issued to Reyes.

The DFA has decided to use e-passports, which contains security features and biometrics like photographs, signatures, and fingerprints, to ensure the authenticity of the passport holder. The DFA has said the move was made to lend integrity to the Philippine passport, as well as help reduce trafficking and fraud.

Asked whether the it was the face of Reyes that appeared in the photograph and data page of the passport, Hernandez just said, “It looks like the photo of the one using it was the one that was there.”

Hernandez said that they have not heard of anything yet from Joseph Lim Pe.

Hernandez said that they were trying to cover all angles on their investigation – how the passport was tampered and how the person was able to use it to go through the immigration – and that they would make sure that “gaps would be addressed.”

“We are always making sure that our passport and its integrity are secured and that’s why we are doing an investigation on this case to make sure that whatever gaps there are we are able to address them and assure the public that the integrity of the passport is secure,” Hernandez said.

Hernandez said the DFA’s Office of Consular Affairs has been handling the investigation but that they could not give an “exact time” on when they would be able to finish the case.

The Department of Justice, which has control over the BI, is also conducting a separate investigation on the incident..