Philippine consulate officials caught a Filipina expat using a fake passport to bring her adopted child back home.
Consul Ferdinand Flores said the expat’s husband bought a bogus passport in the Philippines for PhP75,000 so they can take their two-year-old girl in Dubai. There is no information on the whereabouts of the baby’s biological parents, and she was left in the care of the Filipina expat, who could not get a genuine Philippine passport for the baby because she is not the real mother.
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The Philippine government is strict on issuing passports. In the case of an adopted person, the applicant must submit a duly certified copy of court order of adoption, together with the original and amended birth certificates.
The consular officials were able to identify a fake passport because the presented passport had no microchip in it. Also, the Filipina could not present a birth certificate for the baby.
The consul immediately confiscated the passport and filed a report to the Dubai police. The baby is still with its foster mother. Flores said it is lucky they went first to the consulate before immigrations, otherwise the mother will be charged with human trafficking.
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No case is filed yet against the Filipina, but she cannot travel with the baby.
Flores said the real mother, an illegal resident, is still in Dubai and gave her baby voluntarily to the foster mother a year ago. The foster mother now lost in touch with her.
The Filipina admitted to her husband buying the fake passport