2 Chinese nationals behind Clark underground clinic on BI alert list

The two Chinese nationals caught operating an underground hospital for Chinese COVID-19 patients in Pampanga last week have been placed on the Bureau of Immigration’s (BI) alert list.

In a statement, Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said the alert status was meant to prevent Liu Wei and Hu Shiling from leaving the country “and to ensure their presence while undergoing criminal and administrative investigation for their alleged offenses.”

The foreign nationals were arrested on May 19 when the clandestine hospital they were operating inside the Fontana Leisure Park at the Clark Freeport Zone in Mabalacat, Pampanga, was raided by the police. They were, however, released the same day without charges.

Morente said the bureau was undertaking case build-up activities to ascertain the true identities and visa status of the Chinese doctors found in the illegal facility.

BI intelligence operatives were also asked to locate the four Chinese patients apparently undergoing treatment in the clinic before it was raided, he said.

The agency is conducting a separate investigation into the case of Chinese nationals caught operating another illegal COVID-19 hospital in Makati City that was raided on Tuesday, Morente said.

Deport, blacklist

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Thursday said he would ask the National Bureau of Investigation and the BI to help the police locate undeground clinics, and to arrest and file charges against the people running them.

The two raids at the Clark Freeport Zone and in Makati showed that “clandestine medical clinics catering mostly to foreign nationals have sprouted and have been operating without proper authority,” Guevarra said.

Sen. Risa Hontiveros pushed for the deportation and blacklisting of the Chinese nationals who were arrested for running unauthorized medical facilities in the country.

“While we are working hard to protect our people from the virus, these criminals freely roam and pose a danger to public health. This blatant disregard of our laws should merit immediate deportation and blacklisting,” Hontiveros said in a statement.