The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Friday, Sept. 8, warned foreigners against overstaying in the Philippines
Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco said "we will not tolerate overstaying aliens who disregard the legal requirements of their stay in our country."
“We will continue to be vigilant and proactive in ensuring that immigration regulations are upheld,” he stressed.
Tansingco cited that the operatives of the BI’s Intelligence Division (BI-ID) arrested last Sept. 5 overstaying French national Nouraddine Debah, 51, in Santiago City in Isabela.
“Debah was ordered arrested after [having] been found to have violated the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940 for overstaying and for being undocumented,” the BI said.
It said that prior to Debah's arrest, operatives of BI-ID conducted a two-day surveillance at his residence in coordination with police and barangay officials.
“Upon confirmation of his location, operatives proceeded to conduct the arrest” and is now detained at the BI's holding facility in Taguig City pending his deportation, it said.
“Debah reportedly presented an expired passport with no recent extension,” it also said.