(Eagle News)—-A Syrian national was arrested after he allegedly tried to enter the country using a Kiribati passport, the Bureau of Immigration said on Friday, March 1.
BI Port Operations Chief Grifton Medina said Al Naasan Ibrahim was arrested upon his arrival from Malaysia at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Feb. 22.
This was after he allegedly admitted to being Syrian, and to merely paying US$5,000 to a Jordanian national based in Siem Reap, Cambodia for the Kiribati passport during a secondary interview by immigration authorities.
The authorities had subjected him to the second interview after expressing doubts over the authenticity of the Kiribati passport presented to them by the Syrian.
According to the BI, Ibrahim had intended to use the Kiribati passport to go to Sweden to study.
Ibrahim is facing charges for violation of the Immigration Act.
He is detained at the BI detention facility in Bicutan, Taguig.