The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has deported the seven Chinese nationals who were earlier rescued after their vessel ran aground off the coast of Eastern Samar.
Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco said the crew of fishing vessel Kai Da 899 were wanted by Chinese authorities for various crimes.
They were identified as Tang Rixin (alias Tong Yat Sun), 63; Mai Bolin (alias Mak Pak Lam), 55; Chen Zhewei, 48; He Chengjun, 41; Liu Jianping, 36; Shi Junning, 52; and Lei Dengzai, 34.
Rixin and Bolin are Hong Kong nationals while the rest are from mainland China.
The crew members failed to provide proper documents and contrary to earlier reports the vessel was not used for fishing, but supply which was forfeited in favor of the government.
Tansingco said the foreigners were denied entry considering that they were found in Philippine territory with intention to circumvent immigration arrival formalities.
“Their presence in the country as fugitives from justice poses a risk to public interest,” Tansingco added.
The BI intelligence operatives escorted the ship crew aboard the Philippine Airlines flight to Guangzhou, China.