DFA to OFWs: Don’t Submit Fake Diplomas to UAE, Other Gulf Countries or be Jailed and Deported
Department of Foreign Affairs. FILE PHOTO BY BERNARD TESTA
MANILA – Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the United Arab Emirates and in other Gulf Cooperation Council member countries should not submit fake or fraudulent credentials to get hired, regularized, or promoted. Those who are caught face a jail term of up to 10 years and deportation, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Thursday.
In a news release, the DFA said more Filipinos are being charged and/or detained for falsification of documents. From the cases handled by Philippine embassies in the region, the fake documents being submitted include diplomas, transcripts of records, certificates of completion of TESDA courses, and certificates of marriage, among others.
Most Filipinos charged with falsification cases said they asked a friend or a relative to obtain these documents in the Philippines for them, unaware that they are in possession of fake documents. Usually, a close examination would show that the stamp and seal of the UAE embassy in the Philippines and the DFA’s stamp and seal are falsified.
All fake documents are confiscated upon submission for attestation to the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The holders of the fake documents are sent to police stations for investigation. If convicted, they could face a jail term of up to 10 years, depending on the circumstances and the gravity of the offense, and deportation.
The DFA thus advised Filipinos in the Arab Gulf Countries to present their documents to the nearest Philippine embassy or consulate general so that the consular staff can check the authenticity of the documents.
Genuine, attested documents have security features in the stamp, seal, and the documents themselves, which are hard, if not impossible to forge, the DFA said.
“Filipinos are further advised to avoid shortcuts in applying for jobs in the UAE and in other GCC countries. It is best to go through the regular employment procedure by applying through licensed Philippine recruitment agencies and processing their documents at the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration,” the DFA said.