July 1, 2024 – The Bureau of Immigration (BI) intercepted three Filipino women attempting to leave the country through Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) in what authorities suspect is a mail-order bride scheme.
The separate incidents occurred on June 28th and 29th, with all three women presenting apparently legitimate marriage certificates issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
Red Flags and False Marriages
Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco reported that inconsistencies in the documentation of a 29-year-old woman departing for Shanghai on China Eastern Airlines first raised suspicion. While she was accompanied by a 30-year-old Chinese man claiming to be her husband, further investigation revealed discrepancies in their statements.
The woman admitted to knowing little about the alleged wedding and having paid ₱17,500 for document processing via money transfer. “Surprisingly, they even had photos of a staged wedding,” said Tansingco, suggesting the involvement of syndicates with fake studios for fabricated ceremonies.
Two more women, aged 25 and 24, were intercepted on June 29th under similar circumstances. Both were headed to Shanghai with supposed Chinese spouses and presented PSA marriage certificates. They too confessed to arranged marriages facilitated by a contact.
Authorities on High Alert
“This is a clear case of mail-order bride trafficking, with fixers arranging marriages between Filipinas and foreign nationals,” stated Commissioner Tansingco. “We've intercepted attempts at Manila airports, so they're shifting to others. Our vigilance is heightened across all international ports.”
All three women and their suspected facilitators, the three Chinese men, have been turned over to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) for further investigation.