Man sentenced for falsifying passport stamp in scam case
MANILA, Philippines — A Pasay City Court has convicted a man of falsification for using a fake immigration departure stamp.
In a statement by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Thursday, November 6, the conviction stemmed from an incident on Jan. 17, 2025, when the man was attempting to fly to Bangkok, Thailand.
During an inspection by Immigration officers, a fraudulent immigration departure stamp was discovered in his passport.
Upon further questioning, the accused admitted to BI officers that he had been recruited to work in a call center abroad, a common cover used by individuals involved in illicit overseas employment and scam hub operations.
In a decision dated Oct. 21, 2025, the court found the man guilty beyond reasonable doubt of violating Article 172 of the Revised Penal Code, or the Use of Falsified Documents.
The court sentenced him to two months of imprisonment and imposed a fine of P1,000, with subsidiary imprisonment in case of insolvency.
Bureau Commissioner Joel Viado lauded the court’s decision, saying that the ruling delivers a strong message against those who attempt to subvert the country's immigration laws.
“While some individuals may claim to be victims of recruitment schemes, those who knowingly falsify or use fake immigration stamps will still face penalties under the law,” Viado’s statement read.
“The Bureau remains firm in its stance that document fraud will not be tolerated, as it undermines our efforts to protect legitimate travelers and combat human trafficking,” it added.
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