NAIA security staff told not to touch passports

 

 Security staff at all NAIA terminals should not touch the passports of entering passengers

In what appears to be a determined effort to stamp out the “punit-passport” complaints involving Filipinos travelling out of the Philippines, the Department of Transportation has ordered security personnel to keep their hands off the travel documents of passengers entering any of the terminals of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia).

Earlier, the DOTr also warned airline companies in a weekend meeting against tampering with the passports of their passengers, after a rash of complaints posted on social media by travelers who said they had been prevented from leaving due to tears in their passports which had not been there before they were presented for check-in.

The one that was shared the most was posted by Diana Natividad, who said her 78-year-old father was stopped from boarding by Cebu Pacific check-in staff who noticed a slight tear in the binding of his passport.

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Even though they were later cleared to fly by another check-in counter and immigration officers, they were still stopped at the boarding gates by other Cebu Pacific personnel.

In an advisory posted on Tuesday, the New Naia Infra Corp (NNIC) told all security personnel at the Manila international airport not to touch the passports of entering passengers when during the verification process.

 “Passengers will simply be asked to show their valid ID or travel document by holding it up themselves,” the advisory added.

Basahin ang detalye!

In most aiports abroad, however, including Hong Kong, anybody can enter aiports freely, and passengers are required to present their passports only when checking in for a flight, eliminating such an unnecessary verification process.

In his meeting with airline representatives earlier, Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon warned that any attempt by their personnel to deliberately tear or mutilate passports of passengers to prevent them from flying will not be tolerated.

Dizon said that during the ongoing investigation by the DOTr and the Civil Aeronautics Board, CCTV footages will be inspected, along with actual personal accounts by passengers who claimed to have been victimized.

“If we see reports of these incidents and prove that there are airline personnel behind this scheme, then I am sorry. Sanctions will be imposed on both the airlines and their personnel,”  Dizon stressed.

In Natividad’s case, Cebu Pacific had earlier claimed its check-in staff had checked with airport authorities in Bali, Indonesia, and they were told that the elderly passenger would be prevented from entering even if he was cleared to fly in Manila.

Dizon said part of their investigation will include a check with Bali authorities on the matter.

The DOTr, meanwhile, reminded passengers bound for international flights to always check the validity and condition of their passports before traveling and to consult with passport centers or airport authorities when in doubt.

However, published advisories from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) clearly state that a passport is considered damage only when its physical condition is altered due to wear and tear, aging, negligence, or other factors that leave it mutilated or defective.

A passport is deemed mutilated only if its data page becomes unreadable or if any information is missing.

Clearly, a simple tear in the passport that does not make the passenger information unreadable should not stop anyone from leaving the country.

Philippine church used for illegal recruitment shut down

NBI agents shut down the Faithful Promise church on orders from DMW

The Department of Migrant Workers ordered the closure of a church in Rizal province on Apr 28, after verifying that it was being used for the illegal recruitment of workers for jobs in Japan, Korea, and Papua New Guinea.

Operatives from the National Bureau of Investigation led the entrapment operation at the church of the Faithful Promise Foundation Philippines at Santo Niño Compound, Sitio Paenaan, Baras, Rizal.

The church is also known as Faithful Promise of Jesus Christ the Greatest Master Phil., Inc and Faithful Promise Church in the Philippines.

Basahin ang detalye!

DMW Undersecretary Bernard P. Olalia said Pastora Esclarmonde Estrada Basalio was arrested during the entrapment which followed a series of surveillance operations.

The recruiter who was not a licensed agent, allegedly charged victims, mostly her own parishioners, Php50,000 each for visa processing and other fees.

Pastora Basalio preyed on her own parishioners, according to DMW and NBI

The recruiter promised overseas jobs such as factory workers, tea pickers, clerks, accountants, mechanical engineers and construction workers, with salaries ranging from Php36,000 to Php120,000.

The victims were issued tourist visas under the guise of missionary work, and were instructed to tell Immigration they were missionaries.

But the ploy didn’t always work as some of the jobseekers were offloaded, while those who managed to reach their destinations were disheartened to find out that no jobs awaited them. The rest were still awaiting deployment.

Neither the DMW or the NBI could immediately give the number of people who had been duped in the illegal operation.

Olalia said, “Ang una po nilang nabiktima ay mga kapuwa nila parishioners, yong mga miyembro mismo ang nagsumbong, at siyempre vinalidate natin. Meron mga na-offload, dahil may mga nagrereklamo at kasalukuyan din sinisingil kahit walang authority, based on the confirmation from the complainants.

(The first victims were their co-parishioners, their own members had complained against them, and of course we validated these. Some were offloaded so they complained, while others were are being charged fees even if they don’t have a license).

He added, “Kung aalis sila na hindi dokumentado, hindi tamang dokumentasyon, buhay ang kapalit po non kapag nagkamali. Yon po ang ating isinaalang-alang—pamilya at buhay ng OFW.”

(If they leave without documentation or their documents are not in order, their lives could be in danger. That’s what we’re after, to protect their families and the OFWs’ lives)

Cavite NBI Chief Eric Duque said they received information that very minute that there were victims who managed to get to their intended destination, only to find out that there were no jobs waiting for them there.

Assistant Secretary Jerome Alcantara added that most of the victims were bound for Japan for construction work or low-level jobs.

The closure operation was carried out by the DMW’s Migrant Workers Protection Bureau (MWPB) in coordination with the NBI.

Those who have been victimized by the religious group are encouraged to report their cases to the MWPB through the official hotline +63 2 8721-0619, email mwpb@dmw.gov.ph, or Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/dmwairtip) for assistance in filing complaints.

11 people dead after car plows through crowd at Filipino festival in Vancouver

 

The aftermath of the tragedy on Vancouver's Fraser St

At least 11 people are now known to have been killed and dozens others injured when a man with a history of mental health issues rammed a sports utility vehicle (SUV) through a crowd celebrating a Filipino community festival in the western Canadian city of Vancouver.

Vancouver Police who arrested a 30-year-old male suspect at the scene of the incident on Saturday evening said the suspect had a “significant history” of consulting authorities on mental health.

They said they “were confident” it was not a terrorist act, and that the suspect had acted alone, and deliberately.

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Reports said the incident happened shortly after 8pm in Vancouver’s Sunset on Fraser neighborhood as members of the Filipino community gathered to celebrate Lapu Lapu Day.

The celebration falls this year on the weekend before Canada’s election.

Various witnesses recalled hearing a lot of banging sound as the black SUV roared down the street at full speed.

The SUV was left mangled by the carnage (Facebook photo)

In the aftermath, a number of people were seen strewn across the road, being tended by bystanders and first responders.

Victims were rushed to several local hospitals, with the full casualty toll still unknown. 

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney immediately offered his “deepest condolences” to families of the victims, to Filipinos in Canada and to everyone in Vancouver.

Basahin ang detalye!

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. also extended sympathy, and said he was “shattered” by news of the incident.

Marcos said the Philippine Consulate General in Vancouver is already working with Canadian authorities to ensure that a full investigation is carried out, and that the victims and their families are given support and consolation.

 

Phil transport officials look into ‘punit passport’ incidents’

 

An elderly Pinoy was denied boarding because of the hardly discernible tear in his passport

The Department of Transportation in the Philippines has ordered an investigation into a rash of complaints from Filipino travellers being denied boarding for overseas travel because of small tears in their passports.

In the latest such incident, a 71-year-old man was not allowed by Cebu Pacific Airways to board his flight to Bali, Indonesia, where he was supposed to spend the Easter holiday with his family, because of a slight tear in the binding of his passport.

The incident which happened on Apr 15 at terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport was recounted on Facebook by the passenger’s daughter Diana Natividad.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

But there were similar complaints earlier from overseas Filipino workers who hinted their passports might have been deliberately tampered with by airline or airport personnel to prevent them from boarding their flights. The intention behind this was, however, unclear.

Natividad said that in her father’s case, it was “power tripping” by a check-in staff of Cebu Pacific, who reportedly said a photo of the torn passport had been forwarded to Bali airport authorities, and they were the ones who said the passenger would not be allowed entry.

Acting on the complaints Transport Secretary Vince Dizon said at a press conference on Saturday, Apr 26, that the DOTr and the Civil Aeronautics Board were already conducting an investigation.

Basahin ang detalye!

Dizon said the inquiry will include a check with Bali airport authorities on whether it was true that they were the ones who told Cebu Pacific to deny boarding to the elderly passenger because he would not be allowed entry to the Indonesian island with his torn passport.

He also said the DOTr has summoned Cebu Pacific - along with other international carriers - to ensure that they strictly verify the condition of the passenger’s passport.

In an statement published earlier, the DOTr called on all airlines operating in the Philippines to ensure their staff do not abuse their authority when checking the validity and integrity of passengers’ passports.

In line with established protocols, airlines must coordinate with immigration authorities of the passenger’s destination country to verity if they will accept a passport that appears to be tampered or damaged.

In the Philippines, the Department of Foreign Affairs has stated in published advisories that under the country’s laws, a passport is considered damaged for travel purposes if its physical condition is altered due to wear and tear, aging, negligence, or other factors that render it mutilated or defective.

For the passport to be deemed mutilated, its data page must have become unreadable or an information is missing.

This could be due to the passport chip being damaged or has become unreadable to the system, a page is torn out, the passport’s binding has unraveled, or the document is water-damaged, causing the visa stamps and printed information to run.

Nowhere is it stated in the advisory that a slight tear in the passport which does not make the information therein unreadable, considered damaged for travel purposes.

A passenger claims this tear in her passport appeared only after she handed it in for check-in

Dizon also said the investigation will look into allegations of deliberate tampering of passports by airline personnel, for whatever purpose it may serve them.

 “So they were told very, very clearly that they need to comply with that clear instruction, no way whatsoever to cause any harm to the documents or tamper with the documents of the passengers in the exercise of their function,” he said.

Dizon said the government agencies will look at CCTV footage and personal accounts of travellers to determine if the alleged deliberate tampering of passports did occur.

“Kasi kung meron tayong makitang gano'n and nahuli natin ang any airline personnel na may ginawa itong kalokohan na ganito, well, you know, sorry na lang, sanctions will be imposed on both the personnel and the airlines,” he said.

Among those who hinted at deliberate tampering by airport personnel was a female tourist bound for Hong Kong who said staff processing her travel tax payment pointed out to a tear in her passport, saying she and her husband may not be allowed to board their flight.

The passenger said she was shocked to see the small tear in the photo page of her passport as she had travelled just three days earlier, and she had checked their travel documents the night before, and was sure the tear was not there before she presented it to pay for travel tax.

Despite the warning, the passenger said she and her husband decided not to say anything about it when they checked in, and were relieved when staff at the counter made no mention about it, either.

 

3 Filipinos arrested for alleged human trafficking to Myanmar

 

DMW published the blurred images of the 3 suspects in the alleged trafficking of Filipinos 

Three Filipinos identified as having recruited a number of their compatriots to work in scam farms in Myanmar have been arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation’s airport investigation division.

Arrested on their arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Apr 25 were Sarah Jane Santos Marquez, Jalrumax Manaois Turingan and Noel Bansag Rodriguez, who flew in with seven human trafficking victims who had been repatriated from Myanmar.

The three were identified by the victims as among those involved in their illegal recruitment.

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According to the victims, they were recruited on social media by individuals who asked to be called "Miss Anne", "Orange", "Carlo", and "Bryan" and offered them jobs as customer service representatives in Thailand with salaries ranging from US$800 to US$1,500 a month.

But after arriving in Thailand, they were immediately transported to Myawaddy, Myanmar, where they were forced to work as online scammers in what are known as “scam hubs.”

There, they realized that those who had recruited them online were also based there and were involved in the illegal operation.

Basahin ang detalye!

The three suspects were taken to the NBI detention facility while authorities continue their investigation into the syndicates behind the recruitment of Filipinos into the scam hubs.

The victims, on the other hand, were promised financial, psychosocial and reintegration assistance by the Department of Migrant Workers.

The DMW is calling on the other victims of Santos, Manaois and Bansag to reach out to them through private message on the official Facebook page of the DMW’s Migrant Protection Bureau at https://www.facebook.com/dmwairtip to get help.

It is also warning Filipinos to be more discerning when offered jobs abroad, and to never  transact online to avoid falling victim to human trafficking and illegal recruited.

 

 

HK-bound Filipinas detained with ‘beshie’ recruiter

 

BI photo of the 2 women arrested as they tried to fly to HK on way to Cambodia

The Philippine Bureau of Immigration has announced the arrest of a suspected illegal recruiter along with two Filipinas he was trying to take to Hong Kong en route to Cambodia for supposed call center jobs.

Officers of the National Bureau of Investigation arrested the three on April 19 at terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila after they tried to get past immigration while posing as friends on their way to an Easter holiday in Hong Kong.

The alleged agent named “Andy” told immigration officers that he was friends with the two, calling them “beshies”, and even presented numerous documents of their supposed local employment.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

However, immigration officers noted a number of inconsistencies in their statements and subjected them to further inquiries.

The three later admitted that they were actually bound for Cambodia to work as encoders and agents in a call center there. They said their fake documents were supplied by a contact whom they met on Facebook.

“Andy” admitted he did not know his two female companions, aged 34 and 31, and had tried to facilitate their departure to Cambodia by pretending to be friends with them.

Basahin ang detalye!

NBI agents determined it was another clear case of Filipinos being recruited for supposed call center jobs abroad, but would later be forced to work in scam hubs.

Andy was arrested on suspicion of human trafficking and illegal recruitment. He and the two women were referred to the inter-agency council against trafficking (IACAT) which is pursuing an investigation into the case.

IACAT said Andy is the 13^th person to be arrested on charges of human trafficking this year.

BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado hailed the arrest as part of the increasing efforts by the government to step up efforts against human trafficking and illegal recruitment.

 “We thank the IACAT and the NBI-IAID for their unwavering commitment in pursuing this case to the end,” said Viado in a statement.

“Their tireless efforts in building airtight cases against traffickers not only deliver justice for the victims, but also give meaning and purpose to the relentless work of our frontliners at the ports. Every case filed strengthens our resolve to protect our borders and safeguard vulnerable individuals from exploitation.”

 

State funeral held for National Artist Nora Aunor

Aunor's casked draped with Philippine flag is escorted into Libingan ng mga Bayani by soldiers
(ABS CBN Photo)

Full military honors, complete with a 21-gun salute, were held earlier this afternoon as National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts Nora Aunor was laid to rest at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City.

The actress and singer whose real name was Nora Cabaltera Villamayor, died of acute respiratory failure on Apr 16 at age 71.

Aunor, fondly called “superstar” by her legions of fans, is survived by her children Lotlot, Ian,Matet, Kenneth and Kiko de Leon, and grandchildren.

Full military honors for the late National Hero for Film and Broadcast Arts

Officers of the Armed Forces of  the Philippines escorted Aunor’s casket draped with the Philippine flag, in a funeral march that started from the heroes’ gate to the designated burial site.

The funeral ceremony was made more poignant by dozens of fans who stood in the sweltering heat to say their final goodbyes and sing “Ikaw ang Superstar ng Buhay Ko” to their idol.

A recording of Aunor singing the iconic Filipino pop song “Handog” or “Tribute” left many of the mourners in tears, including her children.

Aunor's coffin was showered with petals and gold confetti at the state necrological service

The state funeral followed a necrological service in the morning at the Metropolitan Theater in Manila organized by the National Commission on Culture and the Arts.

Eulogies were delivered by her fellow National Artist and playwright  Ricky Lee, actor-director Joel Lamangan, and actress and TV executive Charo Santos-Concio.

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All three who admitted being “Noranians” and referred to Aunor by her nickname "Guy,"  spoke of the late actress' incomparable talent as an actress and singer, as well as her humility, kindness and generosity. 

Santos-Concio said in her eulogy that Aunor not just acted, but “transformed” in every role she took. She also lauded the late actress for making people, especially the underprivileged, believe more in their potentials.

Lee, who had been a longtime friend of Aunor, recalled how she refused to compromise, and gave up so much for her craft that she should be rightfully called "artista ng bayan." 

For her part, Lamangan the many times he witness Aunor's incomparable acting prowess,  and her extreme generosity, especially to the poor.

All three agreed there may never be another one like her.

National Artist Ricky Lee called his friend 'artista ng bayan'

The burial came after five days of wake at the Heritage Park in Taguig City. At the end of the wake last night, President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. paid respects, together with the First Lady, Liza A. Marcos.

Thousands of mourners, from Aunor's colleagues, friends, family members and fans, turned up  to also pay tribute, and see her for the last time. Many of her fans came from all parts of the country, and patiently waited in line for hours to get into the funeral home.

Hundreds of fans were among those who said goodbye to the Superstar for the last time

Aunor’s phenomenal rise to fame in the ‘60s and the ‘70s started when she won the grand prize in “Tawag ng Tanghalan,” a nationwide singing contest, when she was just 14 years old.

She soon gained acclaim, not just in the Philippines but also abroad, for her instinctive and mesmerizing kind of acting in such iconic films as “Himala,” “Bona,” “Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos,” “Flor Contemplacion Story,” and many others.

“Himala,” which was directed by the late Ishmael Bernal, also a National Artist, was voted as Best Asia-Pacific Film of All Time in the 2008 CNN APSA Viewers Choice Award.

The country’s “superstar” has won 200 of the 255 nominations she received in more than 50 years of performances in film, television, stage and music.

She as the most international best actress awards and nominations of any Filipino actors, and is the only one to have won as best actress in international awards from five different continents.

She  also has the most lifetime achievement awards from both local and international bodies for er contribution to film, television, music and theater.

Aunor was conferred the Order of National Artists of the Philippines award on June 10, 2022, after being controversially bypassed by the late President Benigno Aquino III earlier.

Aunor was one of three iconic Philippine entertainers who passed on in the last 10 days. 

First to go was Pilita Corrales, dubbed as "Asia's Queen of Songs." She died on Apr 12 at the age of 85.

On the day of Aunor's burial came the news that another '70s idol, Hajji Alejandro, had passed after a long bout with colon cancer. Alejandro, known as "Kilabot ng mga Kolehiyala" during his prime, was aged 70.

 

 

Catholics mourn loss of Pope Francis

 

Pope Francis was the first Latin American head of the Catholic Church (Vatican photo)

Church  bells rang in many countries across the globe, within hours after the Vatican announced the passing of Pope Francis this Easter Monday. He was 88.

The Pope died almost a month after he was released from a Rome hospital where he was treated for five weeks for bilateral pneumonia.

He recovered well enough to appear on the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica yesterday to give the traditional Easter blessing to delighted crowds, in what turned out to be his last public appearance.

Basahin ang detalye!

At 9:45am Rome time (3:45pm in Hong Kong), Cardinal Kevin Farrell announced that the Holy Father, who had been head prelate for 12 years, had died.

“At 7:35 this morning (1:35pm HK time), the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father,” said Cardinal Farrell.

“His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of His Church. He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage, and universal love, especially in favor of the poorest and most marginalized.”

In the Philippines which remains a predominantly Roman Catholic country, many people took to social media to express sorrow over the Pope’s passing. 

Many remembered him for his humility and efforts to reach out to people of disparate backgrounds and faith.

One remembered in particular how the Pope had washed the feet of Muslim refugees and jailed women, how he gave solace and comfort to LGBTQI people, and called for unequivocal peace in the Middle East.

In his last Easter homily, he called for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, and for hostages to be released and access granted to humanitarian aid.

Pope Francis visited the Philippines once in 2015, just over a year after Typhoon Yolanda devastated the country, and left more than 6,000 people dead. He prayed for the victims, and for the healing of   survivors of the tragedy.

The Pope and Cardinal Tagle share light moment with migrants at the Vatican in Sept 2017
(photo by Alessandro Bianchi/Reuters]

The Pope appointed four of the 10 Filipino cardinals in Church history, including Cardinal Luis Tagle, who is heavily favored to be the next head of the Roman Catholic church.

The new pontiff is expected to be chosen in about two to three weeks, in a conclave of cardinals from all over the world that will convene after a nine-day mourning for the Pope.

In Hong Kong, the Catholic Diocese headed by Cardinal Stephen Chow, S.J., expressed its “profound sorrow” over the Pope’s death, and extended “heartfelt condolences.”

The diocese recalled that the Argentinian-born Pope Francis was elected as the 266th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church on March 13, 2013, succeeding Pope Benedict XVI, who resigned in February of the same year.

Pope Francis became the first Jesuit pope and the first to come from Latin America.

He assumed the papacy after serving as the Archbishop of Buenos Aires starting in 1998, and was made a cardinal in 2001.

The diocese remembered Pope Francis for his advocacy for interreligious dialogue and global peace, and for initiating significant reforms within the Holy See through the promotion of women participation in decision-making processes.

In September 2023, Pope Francis visited Mongolia, highlighting the significant relations between the Vatican and China.

Comelec rejects allegations of fraud in online voting

 

The page that caused the ruckus

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has disputed claims made on social media by several overseas Filipino voters that the ongoing internet-based voting is rigged as a review of the ballots they cast showed names of candidates they did not vote for.

Many of the complainants showed as proof screen shots of a box with jumbled letters and numbers underneath the sign “This is your ballot content”. A few names of actual candidates in the 2025 mid-term elections showed up amid the mostly unreadable content. 

The page is accessed through a QR code given to them after they cast their ballot.

Basahin ang detalye!

One of the complainants, Jefferson Bonoan, a Filipino worker based in Singapore, posted on his Facebook account screenshots of the ballot he cast on Monday, and the contents of the landing page of the QR code sent him.

While the screen shot of his ballot showed him voting for 10 candidates of the PDP-Laban party and two from the administration’s slate, his scanned QR code revealed names of those he did not vote for, including Manny Pacquiao of Partido Federal ng Pilipinas and Mimi Doringo of Makabayan.

Other voters in South Korea and United Arab Emirates who publicly declared voting for senatorial candidates endorsed by former President Rodrigo Duterte made the same allegation.

The posts prompted widespread calls by other overseas Filipinos for their cast ballots to show the actual names of candidates they voted for.

Garcia explains the apparent glitch to reporters

But in a talk with reporters on Monday, the second day of internet voting, Comelec Chair George Garcia said the full lineup of candidates chosen can be viewed and reviewed by the voter before the vote is cast. This will disappear once the “cast” button is pressed to prevent vote-buying.

 “Hindi namin talaga ibibigay ang mga pangalan (ng mga binoto) pagkatapos mai-cast kasi pwedeng gamitin sa vote buying,” Garcia said. (We really cannot give the names of the candidates chosen after the ballot is cast because this can be used for vote buying).

He explained that the random letters and numbers, and names of candidates that show up after the QR code is scanned is a security feature of the system, and does not reflect the actual ballot that was cast.

“Once these encrypted codes are translated into human-readable language after the end of election hours on May 12, that’s when they will confirm that the votes they cast are for the correct candidates. This is our way to secure your votes,” he pointed out.

Comelec, he said, is the only one with the capability to translate the encrypted script on QR codes to reveal the actual votes cast.

He assured the public that the internet voting system is “verifiable and auditable” and was rigorously checked before poll watchers National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections and the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting and other stakeholders.

Garcis lamented that there appeared to be an effort by some Filipinos to spread misinformation to discredit online voting.

Some technology experts, however, laid the blame squarely on the Comelec for the confusion that resulted from the unreadable script which was supposed to contain the ballot that was cast by the voter.

“That kind of information is not meant for end users or the general public but for IT developers,” said an expert.

“They should have thought of masking the information and turning it into something more understandable for everyone, without comprising the security of the vote as they mentioned,” said the expert.

Another who posted online said the code did not appear to be fully encrypted because it showed the full names of some candidates. In any case, he and several other IT practitioners said the encryption process should have been done in the back end, so nothing would be visible to the public for data privacy and security.

Overseas voting for Filipinos will run for 30 days until 7 p.m. on May 12 Manila time, which coincides with the closing of the day-long election in the Philippines.