Woman hides baby in backpack at NAIA

MANILA, Philippines - A woman bound for her native country of Papua New Guinea was caught trying to smuggle a baby boy in her backpack at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Monday night.

Jenifer Pavolaurea, 26, arrived more than an hour late for the Air Niugini’s 8:45 p.m. flight at the NAIA Terminal 1. Carrying her backpack, she rushed to the X-ray counter at the departure area, where personnel saw the infant’s image as they scanned the backpack. They pulled the backpack out of the machine and rescued the baby.

Pavolaurea arrived in the country on May 27, 2014 and was supposed to stay for only 59 days. She has since paid the fine for overstaying and carries an exit clearance provided by the Bureau of Immigration’s Alien Registration Division, according to a report by Ernie Mendoza, BI supervisor on duty at the time.

Based on papers presented by Pavolaurea, she gave birth to the infant on Jan. 2. Mendoza, however, said the infant is not covered by travel documents and an exit clearance.

Sources told The STAR that Pavolaurea entered the terminal carrying her son. When airline personnel at the counter asked Pavolaurea about her child companion, she claimed she left him with a friend and that she will travel alone.

Dhors Abrazaldo, BI head supervisor at the airport, told The STAR that Pavolaurea was prevented from leaving the country with her baby last Saturday because the baby was not covered by an exit clearance.

Immigration officers said an exit clearance costs only P300 per month and Pavolaurea would have had to pay only P600.

She was released by the airport police and told to go to the BI to get an exit clearance for her child.