The Bureau of Immigration’s (BI) Advance Passenger Information System (APIS) has led to the successful interception of a couple who are wanted by government authorities for estafa upon their arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3.
Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said the APIS system, which was donated by the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism was instrumental in the arrest of Miguel Santiago Syjuco and his wife, Loraine. Both are wanted by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for estafa.
Last August 6, the NBI in close coordination with the BI, implemented warrants of arrest issued by the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 20 against the couple.
“APIS, which enables advance screening of passengers before arrival, was instrumental in the arrest as it immediately flagged the subjects as persons with active arrest warrants. The system’s alert allowed BI officers to notify the NBI immediately, resulting in the swift enforcement of the court order,” Viado said.
The APIS project is currently connected to 17 airlines namely Cebu Pacific, Philippine Airlines, Etihad, Kuwait Airways, China Airlines, Singapore Airlines, KLM, Thai Airways, EVA Air, Malaysian Airlines, Qantas Airways, Air Canada, Air France, Qatar Airways, Cathay Pacific, Vietnam Airlines, and Japan Airlines.
These carriers collectively account for 63.57% of nationwide flight operations, enabling broader passenger data coverage and stronger border protection.
Viado said the interception is a testament to the system’s role in strengthening the country’s borders and enhancing law enforcement coordination.
“This success story underscores the value of APIS not only in immigration facilitation but also in safeguarding national security,” the BI chief said.
The implementation of APIS forms part of the government’s compliance with the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. to digitalize public services for more efficient and secure operations.
Authorities reaffirmed that APIS will continue to be a vital tool in detecting and preventing the entry or exit of individuals with pending criminal cases, further bolstering the Philippines’ commitment to secure its borders and uphold the rule of law.
