NBI files fraud raps vs US visa seekers

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has filed charges against five applicants of US visas recently arrested for using fraudulent documents.

One of the five suspects, Edgar Iglesia, 61, who introduced himself as a lawyer, was found to have defrauded the US Embassy five times, in which he was able to secure legitimate visa to travel to the US.

When he was arrested last Oct. 30 at the US Embassy on Roxas Boulevard, the NBI claimed it was Iglesia’s sixth attempt to get a visa.

Charged with Iglesia before the Manila Prosecutor’s Office were Mabel Congora, 45, Jennifer Lazaro, 26, Mary Ann Reyes, 22, and Glen Pineda, 20. Manila Prosecutor Maria Gene Julianda recommended P30,000 bail for each of the suspects.

Investigation showed that Iglesia’s modus operandi was to recruit four persons at a fee of P150,000 each to make them appear as members of his family.

Using false information, Iglesia then would secure passports for his "family" and then apply for a US tourist visa.

In four of his five attempts, Iglesia managed to convince embassy officials that the people he was escorting were his legitimate family. He eventually succeeded in securing visas.

Last Oct. 30, Iglesia, who used the name Roberto Pineda, was with the four other suspects, whom he introduced as his wife and three children, at the embassy applying for tourist visas.

Embassy authorities noticed that Iglesia was uneasy while walking around the embassy, prompting an officer to accost him.

During interrogation, Iglesia claimed to be a lawyer and showed an identification card from the Trial Lawyers Association. However, he failed to come up with a bar card being used by legitimate lawyers, prompting an embassy officer to check his background.

"During the background check, authorities found out that Iglesia was one of the blacklisted applicants for US visas," the prosecutor said in a one-page order.

The NBI is now tracking down Iglesia’s possible cohorts in the illegal activities.

It was gathered that the embassy is now tracing first four "families" who were awarded visas to deport them and cancel their travel documents. – Cecille Suerte Felipe