BI warns fake I-Card holders

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) yesterday warned foreign nationals they face deportation if caught holding fake I-Cards being produced and sold by a syndicate.

Immigration Acting Commissioner Roy Almoro said any foreigner caught in possession of a fake I-Card would be arrested and immediately subjected to summary deportation proceedings.

"The Philippine Immigration Act expressly provides for the expulsion from the country of any foreigner apprehended for using spurious immigration documents," Almoro explained.

The BI official issued the warning following the recent arrest of an Indian national with a fake I-Card. Almoro said it was the first time the bureau encountered a fake copy of the new immigration document.

The suspect was arrested by BI agents last Sept.21 in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan along with another Indian national for being undocumented aliens.

Almoro said the bureau is now conducting operations to hunt down members of the syndicate responsible for the fake documents.

The I-Card had replaced the paper-based Alien Certificate of Registration.

BI officials said the modernization project would improve efficiency and security of alien registration, identification and monitoring.