39 Chinese nationals arrested for 'working illegally' in a telecom firm in Taguig City
Thirty-nine Chinese nationals, who were found “illegally working” in a telecommunications company in Bonifacio Global City (BGC) in Taguig City have been arrested and will be deported, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said on Monday, June 2.
Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony M. Viado said the Chinese nationals were arrested last May 29 by operatives of the bureau’s Intelligence Division (BI-ID) in coordination with the Philippine National Police-Southern Police District (PNP-SPD).
Those arrested were not identified by the BI neither was the name of the telecommunications firm disclosed by the bureau.
The NBI said that during the operation, “the individuals failed to present valid travel documents during the raid, rendering them undocumented aliens under Philippine law.”
“Further verification also revealed that while the foreign nationals held working visas, these were issued under petitions from a different company—constituting a breach of the conditions of their stay,” it added.
The arrested foreigners are now detained at the BI’s facility in Taguig City pending their deportation.
In a statement, Viado said: “This operation sends a strong message: the BI will not tolerate violations that threaten our national security and undermine our immigration system.”
He advised foreigners who wish to work in the Philippines to “comply with all our laws and procedures.”
“Those who enter under false pretenses or who switch employers without proper authorization will face the full force of the law,” he warned.