OWNERS of condominium buildings are being asked to report any illegal activities of aliens in their areas by the Bureau of Immigration (BI).
BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco made the appeal after the Senate Committee on Women, Children, and Family Relations chaired by Senator Risa Hontiveros exposed that condominium units in Metro Manila are being abused to house crypto currency scam operations.
“Both local law enforcement agencies and the BI have difficulty simply entering condominiums, as these are residential areas, unlike offices of companies,” said Tansingco.
The BI chief thus reminded condo building owners that fighting trafficking is a shared responsibility of everyone and Filipinos should report any illegal activities in their area to the appropriate agencies.
“If there are illegal aliens in your vicinity, report them to immigration, or to the local law enforcement agencies. Protectors of aliens doing illegal activities in the country are also liable by law,” he warned.
According to Tansingco, condo building owners who fail to report such activities could be considered as harboring illegal aliens, which is considered a criminal offense under the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940 and that violators may face a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
