Female Chinese national nabbed at NAIA for posing as Pinoy

August 22, 2026

By ABOGADO.COM.PH Staff

A female Chinese national who allegedly posed as a Filipino citizen was recently arrested upon her arrival in Manila from China, the Bureau of Immigration said.

In a statement, the BI said the 33-year-old Chinese national alias “Lin” was apprehended on August 7 at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 following her arrival aboard a Xiamen Airlines flight.

The operation stemmed from intelligence gathered by the BI, which identified the Chinese woman as the same person allegedly using the Filipino identity “Lin.”

Upon the Chinese national’s arrival, BI intelligence operatives conducted verification and investigation and confirmed her identity through her Chinese passport that bore her Chinese name.

She was collared for alleged misrepresentation and fraud in violation of Philippine immigration law, as well as for being considered an undesirable foreign national.

“Pretending to be Filipino is not a minor immigration violation — it is a serious threat to the integrity of our identity and government systems. Our agents will continue to hunt down foreign nationals who attempt to manipulate or abuse these systems. If you falsely claim to be Filipino, we will find you, expose the deception, and hold you accountable under Philippine law,” BI commisioner Joel Anthony Viado said.

“This case also demonstrates why intelligence-driven enforcement is critical. Our operatives work behind the scenes to identify discrepancies, verify identities and act before fraudulent identities can be further exploited,” he added.

The Chinese national is being held at the BI’s detention facility while facing deportation proceedings.