BI arrests 2 aliens trying to illegally enter Canada

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has detained two foreigners after they were intercepted recently at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) attempting to illegally enter Canada.

In a report to Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente, BI Deputy Commissioner Marc Red Mariñas identified the intercepted passengers as 25-year-old Kabilan Kannathashan, a Sri Lankan; and 26-year-old Emmanuel Kyeremateng, a Ghanaian.

Mariñas said the two aliens, who are now held at the BI Detention Center in Taguig, were arrested last month at the NAIA 2 and 3 terminals after they were caught using tampered passports in attempting to leave the country to work in Canada.

Kannathashan allegedly used a Canadian passport under an assumed name while Kyeremateng used a Malta passport to hide their real identities and nationalities.

“There can be no doubt that the trips of these two aliens were facilitated by the same international syndicate that has been attempting to use Manila as a jump-off point to smuggle illegal aliens,” Mariñas said.

He added that the syndicate’s modus operandi is to provide their victims with bogus foreign passports, hoping to evade immigration checks, and be allowed to board their flights to Canada.

It was learned that the two aliens both had approved electronic travel authorization (ETA) for their trip which apparently were acquired through fraud and misrepresentation.

Morente has ordered the commencement of deportation proceedings against the two aliens who were charged with violating the Philippine Immigration Act for using spurious immigration documents.

He also directed the duo’s inclusion in the immigration blacklist to prevent them from re-entering the country. (Jun Ramirez)