MANILA, Philippines – Three Chinese nationals were barred from leaving the Philippines on Friday after immigration officials at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) discovered that their passports were tampered.

According to Immigration Commissioner Ricardo David Jr., the three suspects were about to board a Philippine Airlines (PAL) flight to Vancouver, Canada when the airport’s Immigration Travel Control and Enforcement Unit noticed falsified stamps on their passports.

Authorities said the suspects used the Philippines as a transit point to enter Canada illegally.

They were immediately brought to the Bureau of Immigration (BI) detention facility in Bicutan, Taguig.

BI spokesperson Atty.Antonette Mangrobang said the three, who arrived from Hong Kong, will be deported to China and will be placed on the immigration’s blacklist. -- Report from Ricky Velasco, dzMM