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2 valid passports have same name, different photos


The Bureau of Immigration (BI) is investigating its discovery of two valid passports bearing the same name, date and place of birth, but with different photos," according to Saleema Refran's report on "24 Oras."

The owner of the passport is an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) who was supposed to leave for Saudi Arabia last week.

Upon checking by the BI, however, it was discovered that the passport had already been used several times for travels abroad.

The OFW said a person assisted during the passport application in 2016.

"Sa pagkakakwento nya, may nagproseso daw po ng kanyang application way back in 2016. Binigay nya po lahat ng detalye, yun din po ang kumuha ng kanyang birth certificate and all the documents ngunit hindi nya tinuloy ang kanyang pagbyahe. Yun lamang po mukang nagamit ang identity nya ng ibang tao upang umalis po as OFW," said Dana Sandoval, BI spokesperson.

(From the OFW's story, someone processed the passport in 2016.  The OFW gave all the details to the same person who also secured the birth certificate and relevant documents.  However, the OFW did not push through with the job abroad. It appears the OFW's identity was used by someone else.)

The bureau is getting the statement of the OFW.

"It’s very difficult to intercept cases like this because they have all the complete docs. Kumpleto po 'yan ultimo birth certificate, meron sila. Lahat po ng clearances, meron sila. Even NBI clearance, minsan nakakakuha po sila. But at the end of the day po, hindi pa sila yon. There’s a different person owning that identity," Sandoval said. —Sherylin Untalan/LDF, GMA Integrated News