After the ‘laglag/tanim-bala’ scam hugged the headlines last year, there is an alleged new money-making scam at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
Angie Nogot, a Filipina married to a Japanese national, narrated in her Facebook post Sunday how she was victimized by the alleged ‘liquid paper scam.’
According to Nogot, she and her son were bound for Japan when they were asked by a NAIA staff from the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) to pay P200.00 for traveler’s tax for her and P1,620.00 for her son.
Nogot said she handed her passport and alien card to the TIEZA personnel to avoid further delay. But, upon returning the documents, the TIEZA personnel asked why her Japanese surname does not appear in her alien card.
Nogot said she took a closer look at her alien card and was surprised to see that her surname has been tampered and covered by ‘liquid paper’ to make it appear that she was lying about her being a Japanese citizen.
The TIEZA personnel then allegedly told her to get a copy of her marriage certificate at the National Statistics Office (NSO) to verify her citizenship.
Nogot said she got furious and created a scene because she and her son were about to board in few hours.
She said she attracted attention of fellow passengers prompting the TIEZA personnel to turn back and hide while Nogot was taking a picture of her.
Under Section of Executive Order No. 283, Filipino citizens who are permanent residents abroad who have stayed in the country for less than a year are exempted from paying the travel tax.
NAIA personnel clarified that the P200.00 Nogot was asked to pay is is a processing fee for the Travel Tax Exemption Certificate while the P1,620 charged to her son is payment for Full Travel Tax since he is a Filipino citizen.
Nogot, whose post has since gone viral, advised NAIA passengers to be wary of this scam to avoid falling prey to abusive personnel at the airport’s tax payment counters.
Meanwhile, Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) Spokesperson Dave de Castro said in a related news report that the matter is already being investigated.
