Three foreigners accused of criminal offenses have been intercepted at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) before they could leave the Philippines, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said on Thursday, Jan. 18.
"The Philippines is not a haven for criminals,” declared BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco.
He declared that "the BI is committed to ensure that fugitives are brought to justice, and we stand ready to collaborate with our international partners to maintain the integrity of our borders and uphold the rule of law.:
Those intercepted and arrested at the NAIA last Jan. 14, 15 and 16 were identifed as Chinese national Liu Shengtao, 44, Japanese national Aoi Ikeda, 36, and Taiwanese Chai Kaw-Sing, 38.
The BI said that Liu, who was supposed to board a flight to Singapore after having entered the Philippines in 2022 using a working visa, is “a fugitive wanted by the Chinese authorities for covering and concealing criminal proceeds.”
“The BI received information about Liu’s crimes in China on September 2023, triggering an investigation to locate and arrest him,” it said.
In the case of Ikeda, the BI said that the Japanese was supposed to depart for Dubai when he got intercepted, is facing several complaints before the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) “for his involvement in a company which allegedly operates scams.”
“He is said to be the president of a Philippine-based business process outsourcing (BPO) company based in Makati,” it said.
It noted that "Ikeda was last admitted in the country in August 2023 under a working visa and is now facing deportation for undesirability,”
Chai, on the other hand, "is the subject of an Interpol (International Criminal Police Organization) Red Notice for fraudulent fundraising,” it said.
It also said that “Chai last entered the country with an Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Business Travel Card (ABTC), which is given to individuals and government officials engaged in APEC business.”
The three foreigners are now detained at the BI’s Warden Facility in Taguig City pending their deportation.