MANILA — The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has welcomed the conviction of a 29-year-old Filipino man linked to scam hub operations who was caught attempting to leave the country using a falsified immigration stamp earlier this year.

The Metropolitan Trial Court of Pasay City, Branch 44, found the accused, identified as alias “Klein,” guilty beyond reasonable doubt of violating Article 172 of the Revised Penal Code for the use of falsified documents.

In a decision dated October 21, 2025, Presiding Judge Kirk M. Aniñon sentenced the accused to two months of imprisonment and imposed a ₱1,000 fine, with subsidiary imprisonment in case of insolvency.

According to the BI, the incident occurred on January 17, 2025, when the accused attempted to depart for Bangkok, Thailand. Immigration officers discovered that his passport contained a fake departure stamp. Upon questioning, the passenger admitted that he had been recruited to work in a call center abroad.

BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado lauded the court’s ruling, saying it sends a strong message against the use of falsified travel documents and attempts to evade lawful immigration procedures.

“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 said. “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.”

The BI also warned the public against illegal recruiters and online job offers that require falsified travel documents, reiterating that legitimate overseas employment must go through proper government channels.