Two Africans with fake visas nabbed

THE BUREAU of Immigration (BI) arrested two Africans who entered the country and attempted to leave for Canada with fake Canadian visas. BI-Travel Control and Enforcement Unit (TCEU) Chief Erwin S. Ortañez identified the two Africans as Cameroonian national Etienne Makang Nformem, 35, and Sudanese national Abdelmotalab Idris Himat Mohamed, 29. The two were apprehended separately on Feb. 9 and 13 at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 by members of TCEU. BI Port Operations Division Chief Grifton SP. Medina said the African nationals are the BI’s latest arrests in preventing international syndicates “from using Manila as a jump-off point in smuggling illegal aliens to Canada.” Mr. Ortañez said Mr. Nformem, who was arrested after arriving from Bahrain, claimed during his interview that he is visiting his cousin in the Philippines and will be leaving for Canada after three days. However, the BI found his Canadian visa to be fake upon examination. Mr. Mohamed, meanwhile, was apprehended before departing for Toronto, Canada, and was found by the BI anti-fraud division to be also carrying a fake visa. He was reportedly working in the Philippines before and he allegedly sent his passport to Sudan to process the fake visa. —