The Consulate of Georgia in the Philippines, led by Consul (a.h.) Thelmo Cunanan Jr, has facilitated the deportation of two Georgian citizens back to their own country.

The two Georgians flew from Manila to Vancouver, Canada on August 8 and were arrested by Canadian immigration authorities after it was discovered that they were travelling on fake Israeli passports. After interrogation, the two were immediately sent back to Manila, their port of embarkation. Following the arrest of the Georgians in Canada, Charges d’Affaires Lasha Japaridze of the Georgian Embassy in Jakarta immediately contacted Consul Cunanan to assist the nationals upon their arrival.

Consul Cunanan was at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2 in the early hours of August 13 to meet the Georgians who were accompanied by Filipino airline security personnel on board Philippine Airlines Flight 117 from Vancouver, which landed in Manila at 0435H.

Initially, Philippine immigration authorities wanted to detain the Georgians indefinitely and launch an investigation, as the latter were able to circumvent their security protocols and exit the country using their fake Israeli travel documents. According to sources, an increasing number of people using spurious passports and in collaboration with international human trafficking syndicates are transiting through the Philippines to the United States and Canada. The Bureau of Immigration is investigating the matter closely and has several foreigners in custody at its detention center in Camp Bagong Diwa, a Philippine National Police facility in Taguig City, Metro Manila.

Fortunately, in the case of the Georgians, Consul Cunanan negotiated with the immigration officials and was able to convince them to send the Georgians back to Tbilisi immediately, after questioning.

The Georgians left Manila at 1224H on August 13 on a Philippine Airlines flight to Dubai, where they would catch their connecting flight to Tbilisi, via Fly Dubai.

Prior to boarding, the Georgians were interrogated by Philippine immigration intelligence agents, in the presence of Consul Cunanan. At no time were the Georgians maltreated or subjected to any kind of untoward behaviour by Philippine immigration officials. The Consulate of Georgia in the Philippines, led by Consul Cunanan, would like to commend the Bureau of Immigration for the high degree of professionalism and courtesy of its personnel.