MANILA, Philippines--The Bureau of Immigration (BI) is set to deport two foreigners suspected of being members of a cartel that manipulates the rice supply in the northern province of Isabela, officials said Tuesday.

BI commissioner Roy Almoro identified the suspects as Pan Zhide and Lin Jianye, Chinese nationals who allegedly violated the terms of their working visas, which allowed them to work only in trading companies. Instead, they were found to be engaged in selling rice in Isabela, Almoro said.

Lawyer Floro Balato Jr., BI spokesman, said the two were among six other Chinese nationals being investigated by a team of BI operatives that were dispatched two weeks ago to check on reports that foreigners and their local dummies were hoarding rice in the province.

Almoro also said that the two aliens would be blacklisted and banned from re-entering the country. He also ordered all provincial BI alien control offices to check on foreigners doing business in their areas.

"If foreigners are tinkering with the country's supply of rice, they do not deserve to stay a minute longer in the country," he added, warning foreign traders against engaging in rice hoarding.