BI nabs 34 Chinese working at Pasay construction site

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has detained 34 Chinese nationals for working illegally as construction workers in Pasay City.

In a statement, Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said the BI as of Thursday was still verifying whether the foreigners had already overstayed their visa.

Those proven to be undocumented or without an appropriate visa will be charged and undergo deportation proceedings, Morente said.

“Initial investigation indicated that they arrived here as tourists and that they were employed as construction workers without securing the necessary work permits from the government,” he added.

“We very much welcome the presence of foreign nationals in the country, but they are reminded of their responsibility to comply with immigration laws,” he said.

“Our Intelligence Division is not only focused on catching illegal foreign vendors, but are also on the lookout for other illegal alien workers whose presence here robs Filipinos of job opportunities,” the official added.

The 34 Chinese men were arrested Tuesday morning in a raid on the Eastfield Building project site on Diosdado Macapagal Boulevard in Pasay.

They were hired to do finishing works on the office building, according to BI acting intelligence chief Fortunato Manahan Jr.  —TINA G. SANTOS