DFA chief Cayetano eyes NBI help in going after passport ‘fixers’


By RIE TAKUMI, GMA News

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) will coordinate with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in looking into persistent rumors of individual fixers or scammers selling fake or non-existent passport appointment slots.
"I personally will appeal again sa NBI to help us kung talagang marami na 'yan," Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said Friday. "We'll take a second look."
At a press briefing after the launch of the 10-year passport validity at the DFA-Office of Consular Affairs Cayetano acknowledged that the absence of a syndicate does not mean that fixers could not operate on their own.
However, he denied the plausibility of some of the methods of these fixers as described by alleged victims as well as the prevalence of such scammers.
"Hindi po namin sinasabing imposibleng may fixer. Ang sinasabi namin, imposible na ginagatasan ang OFW through the appointment system. You just line up. Imposible rin sa travel agencies because they do not have allotment," Cayetano said.
"Maaring magkatotoo kung may contact sila sa loob na wala namang appointment tapos nakakasingit. But it's not massive," he added.
Another supposed scam involves selling passport appointments with information and names different from the victim. In these cases, the victim lose their money and a valid appointment slot is wasted.
Victims of fixers were encouraged to inform the DFA of the name and details of the suspects to help the department track them down.
The DFA has come under heavy fire from Filipinos — including those working abroad — who are renewing their passports because of difficulties in getting appointment through the agency's online facilities.
The DFA's Facebook page has been flooded with complaints from people unable to get appointments earlier than March.
Cayetano said the problem is not due to corruption but to an increase in the number of applicants and the DFA's limited manpower.
"Hindi totoo po na lumala dahil sa corruption. Lumala po dahil dumadami ang kailangan ng passport and we did not have the resources last year to put up the new facilities," the former senator said. —KBK, GMA News

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