The Bureau of Immigration (BI) is sending back home 372 foreign nationals who were arrested for various offenses in several batches.
BI Commissioner Norman G. Tansingco told Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla that the bureau is finalizing the deportation arrangements of 331 Chinese and 41 other foreigners rounded up in separate operations of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Pasig and Angeles last September.
Forty-three of the total have been physically turned over to the BI, while the rest remain in the custody of the arresting agency.
The BI’s board of commissioners has already issued a summary deportation order for the 372, and are finalizing the arrangements for their departure.
Under the BI’s procedures, deportees must not have a pending case in the Philippines, and must possess a valid travel document.
The BI chief said it has coordinated the deportation schedule with the NBI and the Chinese Embassy, requesting the expeditious release of the required documents.
After completing the documentation, their departure can be scheduled, with the costs to be shouldered by the deportees.