THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) warned against the circulation of fake Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) Guidance and Counseling Program (GCP) certificates sold by scammers.
Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado on Thursday issued the warning following the recent interception of a 23-year-old woman bound for Japan carrying a fake GCP certificate.
The GCP is a required pre-departure seminar conducted by the CFO to provide Filipinos in intermarriages and bi-national relationships with adequate information on the realities of cultural and social realities overseas.
The certificates prove that the holders have attended the GCP and can leave for abroad.
BI records show that the GCP certificate and the Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC) from the Department of Migrant Workers are the most common government certificates being faked by human trafficking syndicates.
The female victim, whose name has been withheld in compliance with anti-trafficking laws, tried to depart for Japan on Nov. 2 at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3.
She claimed to be traveling abroad to visit her alleged spouse, a Japanese residing in Nagoya. As part of the basic requirements needed for departing immigrants, she presented a CFO-GCP certificate, but real-time verification identified the document to be counterfeit.
“Our officers saw inconsistencies in her document, prompting them to submit it for verification with the CFO,” said Viado.
The verification confirmed that the certificate number presented did not exist.
The victim eventually admitted she had purchased the document through a fixer online.
Viado warned travelers from accepting offers of fixers on social media.
The victim has been referred to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking for the filing of appropriate charges.
Be the first to comment