Another China-bound victim of fake marriage scheme intercepted

IMMIGRATION officers at the Mactan, Cebu International Airport intercepted another China-bound victim of the fake marriage scheme last July 23.

Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco said the 23-year-old female victim, whose name has been withheld in compliance with anti-trafficking laws, initially said she would visit his alleged Chinese husband via a China Eastern Airlines flight.

Tansingco said the victims presented a genuine Philippine Statistics Agency marriage certificate and a civil registrar’s certificate showing they got married last March and a supposed Commission on Overseas Guidance and Counseling Program certificate to support her claim.

But immigration officers doubted her due to inconsistencies between her statements and the documents she presented.

She also had difficulty recalling basic details about their marriage.

“Later, the victim admitted that there was no actual wedding, and the officers were able to confirm that the CFO certificate presented was fake,” the BI chief said, adding the victim admitted that all the documents she presented were arranged by her alleged Chinese husband through an agent.

BI officers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 intercepted last July 24 a 20-year-old female victim suspected to be a mail-order bride, along with her Chinese escort.

Tansingco said the Chinese man attempted to assist the travel of the Filipina on board a Xiamen air flight to Chengdu, China by claiming to be her spouse.

They also presented a genuine PSA marriage certificate and showed photos claiming they were married.

However, the victim later admitted to immigration officers that a fixer arranged all their supposed marriage documents for P45,000.

Earlier, BI deputy spokesperson Melvin Mabulac said China is now becoming the main destination of Filipinas engaged in the mail-order bride scheme, a previous departure, he added, when South Korea, was the favorite destination.