BUREAU of Immigration (BI) agents have intercepted a suspected female trafficking victim who attempted to leave the country using a fake Commission on Filipino Overseas (CFO) certificate at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
The 20-year-old passenger, whose name was withheld in compliance with anti-trafficking laws, tried to depart Manila for Nagoya, Japan, according to Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado.
The woman claimed she is going to Japan to visit her purported husband, a Japanese national, but presented a dubious CFO certificate.
Immigration officers found discrepancies in the certificate that prompted immediate verification through the BI-CFO joint system.
It was revealed that the woman had purchased the counterfeit CFO certificate from an online fixer for P3,000.