Fake BI liaison officer caught

MANILA, Philippines — A man allegedly posing as a liaison officer of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) was arrested by police officers in an entrapment operation in Pasig City on Thursday.

Mark Allen Rivera, 36, was apprehended in a fastfood restaurant in Barangay San Joaquin at around 11:10 p.m., according to Pasig police chief Col. Roman Arugay.

Arugay said the suspect is accused of duping a 41-year-old woman of P327,000 in cash in exchange for a job posting overseas.

Rivera allegedly met the victim through her cousin last October wherein he introduced himself as a BI liaison officer and consultant of a travel agency.

Aruga said the suspect offered to facilitate the victim’s tourist visa going to Africa in exchange for money.

The victim initially gave P20,000 and paid the remaining amount on several occasions.

However, the victim became suspicious after the suspect did not show up at the airport on her supposed scheduled flight.

“When the victim checked the records of the Bureau of Immigration, it appears that there was no record that pertains to the said scheduled flight,” Arugay said.

When the victim called Rivera, the suspect promised to obtain her visa. He failed to do so and instead demanded an additional P10,000, which prompted her to seek assistance from the Pasig police for an entrapment operation.

Rivera is being held on charges of estafa and usurpation of official function.

Harassment

Meanwhile, BI Commissioner Jaime Morente yesterday warned of fake BI agents who harass foreigners or try to extort money from them.

He said a would-be victim sent the BI a letter to verify a notice he received via courier. The notice asked him to appear before the BI main office on a Saturday in connection with an investigation or be charged and deported.

The notice was signed by a certain Special Agent Juanito Balmas, who is not an employee of the BI, Morente said, adding that the bureau is not open on Saturdays.

“We suspect that whoever was trying to harass (the victim) will meet him nearby and possibly extort money from him,” Morente said as he reiterated a previous warning against numerous operations involving fake BI employees.

To avoid getting victimized by erring individuals, Morente said the BI’s legal notices are sent to foreign nationals with the bureau’s official letterhead and signed by legitimate employees. He said the contact information of all BI offices nationwide is accessible on the BI’s official website. – Robertzon Ramirez