Latest news with #NinoyAquinoInternationalAirport
Filipino Times
2 days ago
- Filipino Times
BI warns vs. ‘mail-order bride' schemes after foiled trafficking attempt
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) warned the public against the 'mail-order bride' schemes following the interception of a Filipina at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) who attempted to leave the country for an arranged marriage in China. In a statement, BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said such schemes are resurfacing where suspects often deceive women with promises of a better life abroad. 'The mail-order bride trap is rising again—all promise[s] upfront, tricking women into fake marriages and exploiting them as domestic workers with little or no pay,' he added. A 24-year-old woman was stopped on July 15 by officers from the Immigration Protection and Border Enforcement Section (I-PROBES) as she attempted to board a Xiamen Airlines flight to Xiamen, China. She claimed she was traveling with her brother to meet her Chinese husband, whom she had recently married. However, her marriage certificate had a visibly altered date, and her marriage license was issued after the reported wedding, raising suspicions. The woman later admitted that both the marriage and the documents were fake. She told authorities that a recruiter had offered her ₱8,000 and promised her a better life if she agreed to an arranged marriage with a Chinese national. The BI said the woman and her companion were turned over to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) under the Department of Justice for further investigation and assistance. Earlier this year, BI intercepted two other Filipinas at NAIA who claimed they were going to China to meet their Chinese spouses. Upon investigation, officers discovered that both were married on the same date and time as two other victims. They later admitted their marriages were also fake and arranged by a third party.
GMA Network
6 days ago
- GMA Network
P500K worth of missing jewelry in NAIA found
A female passenger who lost P500,000 worth of jewelry at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 was able to recover the missing items. In a social media post, passenger Kimberly Nakamura said her jewelry box containing wedding rings, a diamond necklace, and earrings went missing at NAIA during her flight to Singapore on June 28. She reached out to Cebu Pacific, the Changi Airport in Singapore, and NAIA 3, but no items were found. After posting on Facebook, a Cebu Pacific agent informed Nakamura that the jewelry box was seen at Gate 104 at NAIA 3. Upon reviewing CCTV footage, Nakamura said more than 10 airport personnel were seen handling the jewelry box from June 28 to June 29. 'This marked the beginning of a series of mishandlings that led to the disappearance of both rings. From a simple lost and found case, it became theft,' Nakamura said. On July 8, Nakamura said her jewelry box, containing only the earrings and necklace, was recovered by the Airport Police Department. 'The staff member who surrendered the item later confessed to taking it home for personal use. She stated there were no rings inside when she found the jewelry box,' Nakamura recounted. Her husband's ring was returned on July 13 after she earlier warned the involved personnel that she will press charges for gross negligence and qualified theft. The following day, Nakamura said she received an anonymous text message saying her ring was hidden under a table at Gate 104. 'We recovered everything po. My diamond necklace and two platinum wedding rings with diamond stones. But my husband's ring was heavily scratched kasi nilagay lang daw sa bag. But anyway, we will rebuff it na lang po (because it was put in a bag, but we will rebuff it). Estimated value is P500,000,' Nakamura told GMA News Online. 'It was very distressing, but we're very happy and at peace now,' she added. Nakamura urged NAIA to take action as the person who stole her ring remains unidentified. 'This must not be tolerated. I urge you to take action so that no one else has to go through what I did. Your employees were involved in acts of dishonesty and negligence, and such behavior has no place in any responsible system,' Nakamura said. Manila International Airport Authority General Manager Eric Ines assured that the involved personnel will be held accountable. 'Even though the victim did not pursue legal action, we are coordinating with the concerned airlines and security agencies to ensure that those involved are held accountable. This behavior has no place in our airport,' Ines said in a statement. He urged the involved airlines and security agencies to take disciplinary action against those responsible for the missing jewelry. Meanwhile, the personnel involved in the recovery of the missing jewelry are expected to receive formal commendation during the next flag-raising ceremony, as recommended by the MIAA Praise Committee. — RF, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
15-07-2025
- GMA Network
62-year-old Canadian woman who tried to smuggle shabu undergoes inquest
The 62-year-old Canadian citizen who was arrested for trying to smuggle shabu at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) underwent inquest proceedings at the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Tuesday, according to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA). PDEA said the woman, identified only as 'Grace', underwent inquest for violation of Section 5, Article II of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. According to the agency, Grace was arrested at NAIA Terminal 3 with 24 kilograms of suspected shabu on July 14, Monday. Authorities found multiple foil-wrapped transparent plastic packages hidden in large garbage bags inside Grace's luggage. The PDEA said that initial field testing confirmed the substance to be shabu. However, samples were turned over to the PDEA Laboratory Service for confirmation. Authorities also retrieved a Canadian passport, two airline boarding passes, a mobile phone, an identification card, and a baggage declaration form. — Joahna Lei Casilao/RF, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
14-07-2025
- GMA Network
BI: Chinese woman nabbed at NAIA for passing self off as Filipino
She is allegedly using the alias Cassia Palma Poliquit to reside in the Philippines and to sell and distribute electric vehicles in Metro Manila. Immigration authorities have arrested a Chinese woman at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) for allegedly misrepresenting herself as a Filipino. The Bureau of Immigration (BI) said the 43-year-old suspect was nabbed at NAIA after arriving in the country from Malaysia. She is allegedly using the alias Cassia Palma Poliquit to reside in the Philippines and to sell and distribute electric vehicles in Metro Manila. According to the BI, Wang was placed under their monitoring after the bureau received information from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) regarding her suspicious identity. She allegedly acquired a fake Philippine passport and birth certificate through late registration despite being a Chinese national holding an investor's visa. A cross-examination of the NBI records revealed that Poliquit had the same fingerprint records as those of a Chinese person, confirming they were the same individual. 'The BI and the NBI have been strongly working together, leading to the arrest of key figures in identity theft and illegal use of Philippine documents," BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said. 'We commend our partners in law enforcement and vow to further work together to rid the country of these undesirables,' he added. The Chinese is currently under the custody of the BI warden facility in Taguig while waiting for deportation proceedings. –NB, GMA Integrated News
Yemen Online
13-07-2025
- Politics
- Yemen Online
11 Filipino Seafarers Return Home After Surviving Houthi Attack Off Yemen's Coast
Aden – The Philippine Department of Migrant Workers announced late Saturday the safe return of 11 Filipino crew members from the Magic Seas cargo ship, which was violently attacked by Houthi militants while sailing near the Yemeni coast. Undersecretary Bernard Olalia stated during a press forum in Quezon City that the sailors arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport at 11 PM, completing the repatriation of all 17 rescued crew members from the targeted vessel. 'These men endured a traumatic and tragic ordeal that demands immediate care,' Olalia said, adding that the Philippine government will extend psychological and social support, alongside financial assistance and medical evaluations. The announcement comes as search operations continue for 13 missing sailors from the Eternity Seas vessel, which sank entirely following a similar Houthi attack in the Red Sea. The Magic Seas incident marked one of the earliest ship assaults in a wave of escalating maritime strikes linked to the war in Gaza. Houthi Militians claims these attacks are retaliation against alleged support for Israel, though international observers have condemned the operations as "reckless and criminal," warning of serious threats to global maritime security.
