Woman gets 47 years for fake passports

MANILA, Philippines - The Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) recently sentenced a woman to 47 years in prison for presenting three fake Philippine passports and other fake documents at the United States embassy in 1997 in a bid to get a non-immigrant visa.

Manila RTC Branch 28 Judge Nina Antonio-Valenzuela, in a decision dated March 6 but promulgated only last week, convicted Maria Fe Aquino to seven counts of violating Republic Act 8239, the Philippine Passport Act of 1996.

Valenzuela also imposed a P390,000 fine on Aquino.

Court records show Aquino used the alias “Preciosa Cruz Aquino” on a fake passport she presented to the US embassy on Nov. 3, 1997. She also presented two minors she claimed were her children and their fake passports.   – Sandy Araneta