US Visa application: Woman nabbed for falsifying public documents

A 22-year-old woman was arrested via an entrapment operation by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI-7) on Friday, October 15, 2021.

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The 22-year-old woman who was arrested inside a Cebu City hotel on Friday, October 15 for falsifying public documents has undergone inquest proceedings on Monday, October 18.

Lawyer Rennan Oliva, director of the Nati0nal Bureau of Investigation in Central Visayas (NBI-7), identified the arrested person as Rayven Gay Dablo, 22, a resident of barangay Lagtang in Talisay City, Cebu. She was arrested via an entrapment operation conducted by NBI agents last Friday, October 15.

“[She was arrested] for violation of Republic Act 8239 or the Philippine Passport Act of 1996 specifically securing a passport by reason of false statement. We are also charging her for Article 172 in relation to 171 of the Revised Penal Code or for falsification of public documents by a private individual and use of falsified documents in relation to Republic Act 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012,” Oliva said.

Quoting the outcome of their investigation, Oliva said that that a request for an investigation was sent to them last March 2021 by the US Embassy in Manila regarding the documents that Dablo, a US visa applicant, was in possession of.

Dablo allegedly assumed the identity of a certain Sheny Mae Liza, a resident of Barili town, whose father is a green card holder in the United States.

Sheny Mae’s father, a certain Roel Liza, is a green card holder currently working as a baker in the United States. The parents of Dablo and Liza were acquaintances since they both have the same employer.

“In the case of Dablo, they are the caretakers of the house of the employer of Roel Liza in [barangay] Lagtang Talisay. The father of Sheny Mae whose identity was assumed by Dablo is working at a bakery in the United States of the same employer. They are acquaintances,” Oliva added.

After further verification, it was found out that the father was also surprised since he did not know that his daughter Sheny Mae was applying for a US visa. Later did they know that it was not Sheny Mae.

Oliva added that Dablo allegedly presented at least four falsified government documents including a Philippine Passport, Original Certificate of Live Birth, Original Certificate of No Marriage, and NBI clearance upon her application for a US visa.

Dablo was also required to submit additional documents and photos to establish her relationship with Roel Liza and the former reportedly emailed copies of the school identification card from Lagtang National High School with the name Sheny Mae Liza, a copy of a driver’s license also under the name of Sheny Mae.

The data entry was all about Sheny Mae but the photo used was that of Dablo.

With this, Sheny Mae was subpoenaed last June 3, 2021. She later gave her sworn statement stating that she never applied for a U.S. immigrant visa, a Philippine Passport, NBI clearance, Non-Professional Driver’s License, and never attended Lagtang National High School since she graduated from a high school in Barili town.

Oliva further said that last November 13, 2020, Dablo together with her parents went to Sheny Mae’s house to ask for her and her mother’s consent to use her name and identity in applying for a U.S immigrant visa which they “flatly rejected.” They also reportedly did not provide copies of the documents presented by the suspect.

Despite the reported rejection, Dablo allegedly pushed through with her plan until she was arrested last October 15.

Dablo refused to issue any statement regarding the incident.

She is currently detained at the NBI-7 detention cell as of this posting. NBI-7 waiting for the decision of the city prosecutor regarding her recommended bail.     /rcg

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