Woman arrested for using another’s passport

When accosted by immigration officers, Punla gave inconsistent and contradicting statements regarding her age during the secondary inspection

A woman who was about to depart for Saudi Arabia was apprehended by the National Bureau of Investigation International Airport Investigation Division (NBI-IAID) at NAIA (Ninoy Aquino International Airport) Terminal 1, Pasay City for using the passport of another person.

NBI officer-in-charge Eric B. Distor identified the individual as Bainisin Pulna, alias Elsa Cornelio Saladili.

A report said Pulna was about to depart on 16 April 2021 for Saudi Arabia via a Gulf Air flight when she was questioned by the duty immigration officers.

When accosted by immigration officers, Punla gave inconsistent and contradicting statements regarding her age during the secondary inspection.

She also revealed to the immigration officers that her father was a farmer and not an elementary school teacher contradicting what was indicated in the NSO (National Statistics Office) birth certificate she presented.

She claimed it was her first time to travel abroad, contrary to the verification with the Central Query Support System of the Bureau of Immigration.

It also showed there was a prior departure and arrival of a certain Elsa Cornello Saladili and the passport image of her present passport was different from the image in her past travel.

Distor stressed that on this basis, operatives of the NBI-IAID arrested Pulna and was informed of her constitutional rights and underwent the usual booking procedure.