A total of nine Chinese nationals were arrested last June 29 for violation of the conditions of their stay, during an operation conducted by the Bureau of Immigration (BI).
BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco said that all nine individuals were found to be illegally disembarking from three motorboats at the shoreline of Parañaque Fishport, in Brgy. Dongalo, Parañaque City, at approximately 4:30 p.m.
“This operation is a clear message that we will not tolerate foreign nationals abusing their stay in the country,” Tansingco stated. “We remain vigilant in our efforts to protect our borders and maintain order,” he said.
It was learned that pursuant to a mission order issued by Tansingco, the said Chinese men were arrested by agents of the BI’s intelligence division headed by its chief, Fortunato ‘Jun’ Manahan, Jr., in coordination with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), along the shoreline of Manila Bay in Parañaque City.
Manahan said the operation was the result of months of surveillance and intelligence gathering, after receiving reports of Chinese nationals boarding and disembarking vessels along Manila Bay.
The apprehended individuals, aged between 33 and 54, were identified as Li Weilin, Liu Peng, Wang Yong, Huang Haibing, Gong Yuan Ju, Zhang Tao, Dai Guang Yuan, Li Jiang Yu, and Kang Tian De. Four of them were found to possess passports and holders of 9G visas, petitioned by an engineering company in the Philippines, while the remaining five were found to be undocumented.
“We have reason to suspect that these individuals are engaging in illegal work in vessels along Manila Bay,” said Tansingco. Their visas limit their work to a company in Pasay City and nowhere else. Foreign nationals with valid working visas, if found to be working in a different company, are violating the conditions of their stay,” he added.
The arrested foreigners were turned over to the BI’s facility inside Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan, Taguig.
