August 25, 2025 | Manila, Philippines
Immigration authorities have arrested a 60-year-old Chinese man at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 for allegedly posing as a Filipino citizen.
Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado identified the suspect as Chen Zhong Zhen, who was intercepted on August 21 after arriving on a Cathay Pacific flight from Hong Kong.
The arrest stemmed from a mission order issued by the BI following intelligence reports that Chen had obtained Philippine identity documents through unlawful means. During inspection, officers found him carrying a Philippine passport issued in 2021, along with multiple local identification cards indicating Filipino nationality.
However, verification by the BI’s Alien Registration Division revealed that Chen’s fingerprints matched those of a previously registered Chinese citizen who had once held a long-term visa and an Alien Certificate of Registration.
Authorities noted that Chen reportedly owns several businesses in the Philippines and is active in local economic and business organizations.
Commissioner Viado stressed that only naturalized citizens can legally acquire Philippine passports and other identity documents. “Government intelligence sources believe this may be another case of assumed identity, similar to previous high-profile incidents,” he said.
Chen is currently in the custody of the BI at its detention center in Bicutan, Taguig, and faces deportation charges for misrepresentation.
