MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Immigration (BI) arrested 277 undocumented Chinese nationals, including four fugitives wanted in China for economic crimes, during a raid conducted at a business district in Pasig City.
The raid was conducted Thursday by agents of the BI’s Fugitive Search Unit (FSU), with the help of the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC), the Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Chinese Ministry of Public Security, BI Commissioner Jaime Morente said in a statement issued Friday.
Morente said that he initially issued a mission order for the arrest of the four Chinese nationals who are wanted in China for alleged involvement in economic crimes.
“We received an official communication from Police Attaché Chen Chao of the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines indicating that these Chinese fugitives engaged in an investment scam that victimized more than a thousand individuals, and has an estimated cost of damages amounting to more than 100 million RMB (Renminbi),” Morente said.
However, FSU head Bobby Raquepo said that during the operation to arrest the fugitives, BI agents caught 273 other Chinese nationals engaged in what the bureau said were illegal online operations.
“Upon verification with the Chinese government, we found out that the passports of these fugitives have already been canceled, making them undocumented aliens,” the FSU head said after it was found that the 273 officials were undocumented.
The arrested foreigners are temporarily detained at the bureau’s Warden Facility in Taguig City pending their deportation proceedings.
The BI added that its legal division is also preparing the filing of appropriate charges against the arrested Chinese nationals. /muf