279 Taiwanese in cyberfraud deported

BUSTED AND HOMEBOUND Taiwanese nationals up for deportation arrive with their hands tied at Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Wednesday morning. Two planes were to bring them to Taiwan where they face trial for allegedly victimizing their own compatriots through a cyberfraud syndicate that operated in Metro Manila and nearby provinces. GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Wednesday deported 279 Taiwanese nationals who were earlier arrested in a  series of anticyberfraud operations in Metro Manila and Rizal province.

One of the arrested foreigners earlier died and many others fell ill in crowded detention facilities. Taiwan had urged the Philippines to send them home to face prosecution there.

They were accused of impersonating police, prosecutors and bank officials to convince victims in China and Taiwan to transfer money to accounts provided by the syndicate.

They allegedly duped victims into believing their bank or credit card accounts had been hacked and were being used for money laundering or other crimes.

The Taiwanese nationals were flown out onboard two chartered flights of China Airlines and Eva Air which left Ninoy Aquino International Airport around 6:30 a.m.

They were earlier detained at Camp Vicente Lim in Calamba, Laguna province, following their arrest on Aug. 23.

BI Commissioner Ricardo David Jr. said the aliens were deported pursuant to a Sept. 7 order by the BI board of commissioners based on findings that they  were “undocumented, overstaying and undesirable aliens” and for being “serious threats to the general welfare and public policy.”

The deportees were among the 291 Taiwanese and 87 Chinese nationals arrested by joint police, naval and immigration intelligence operatives in Quezon City, Marikina City and Antipolo and Cainta in Rizal province.

Also arrested in the operation were two suspected financiers of a gang involved in credit card fraud and human smuggling in Taiwan and China.

They were identified as Chinese national Maria Luisa Tan and Taiwanese Jonson Tan Co.

Ma. Antonette Mangrobang, BI acting intelligence chief, said the government decided to deport the aliens because their victims are in China and Taiwan, thus they will be prosecuted for their crimes in their country of origin.

The suspects allegedly used the Internet to call and blackmail their victims in Taiwan and China by representing themselves either as representatives of the police, prosecutor’s office, courts, insurance companies, banks and other financial institutions.

“They would falsely inform their unsuspecting victims that their personal bank accounts were under investigation for supposedly being used in money laundering and terrorist activities. After which the victims would be told to deposit their money in a bank account provided by the syndicate,” the BI said.

The bureau added that it will deport the  87 Chinese nationals within the week and that there were still 10 Taiwanese who remained in detention due to pending cases in court.  With a report from AP