In a statement, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines said it immediately conducted verification after media reports initially identified the suspect as Taiwanese.

Examination of the passport confirmed it was fraudulent. A consular interview further established that the suspect could not provide a valid Taiwanese national identification number and later admitted that he is a citizen of the People’s Republic of China. He also confessed to obtaining the forged document through the messaging application Telegram.

TECO praised the professionalism and cooperation of Philippine authorities, particularly the Pasay City Police Station, noting that swift coordination helped prevent the spread of misinformation and ensured accurate identification.

Taiwan reiterated its respect for the judicial process of the Republic of the Philippines and affirmed continued cooperation in cases involving document fraud and transnational crime.

The suspect remains in custody as the investigation continues.