The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) advised Filipinos Tuesday, particularly those working in Dubai, not to deal with people offering machine readable passports (MRPs) at a lower price. Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo said his office has received reports about Filipinos victimized by a Dubai-based syndicate selling fake MRPs. He said machine readable passports are issued only at the DFA office in Manila or diplomatic missions in other countries. “The new machine-readable passport is fool-proof” and fake passports can easily be detected at airports in the Philippines and other countries, he said. Meanwhile, a 35-year-old Filipino was arrested in the United Arab Emirates for allegedly stabbing an Iranian medical student twice and snatching her handbag near a hospital in Dubai. Online news site Khaleej Times said the incident occurred behind the Iranian Hospital in the Satwa district. The report did not name the Filipino but said the police Criminal Investigation Department confirmed on Wednesday that their investigations led them to “arrest a 35-year-old Filipino.” Police said the 25-year-old woman was attacked when she got into her vehicle at an underground car park close to her home behind the hospital. The man ran off with her bag, which she said contained Dh5,000 (P64,827.67) cash. The student rang the police immediately after and was taken to Rashid Hospital.
