Five Chinese nationals, with two of them found to have “fake” Filipino identities and have purchased firearms, have been arrested in Laguna.
In a statement, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) identified the “fake” Filipinos as Chen Yian and Hong Ping Ping.
The three others were identified as Cai Weixin, Li Rongpo and Cai Junquiu. The five foreigners were found working for a company that did not petition them in violation of Philippine immigration laws.
All of them were arrested during the operation conducted by the BI in coordination with the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), at a company in Laguna last Nov. 14.
The BI said that Chen and Hong used their Philippine identities in allegedly securing firearms.
“Authorities expressed serious concern over this finding, noting that the misuse of Philippine citizenship documents to acquire weapons poses a clear security threat and may be exploited for unscrupulous activities detrimental to national security,” it said.
All of those arrested are now detained at the BI’s Warden Facility in Taguig City.