Two foreign nationals, who have been posing as Filipinos, have been arrested in separate operations conducted by the Bureau of Immigration (BI).
BI Commissioner Joel Anthony M. Viado said on Wednesday, Feb. 11, that Chinese nationals Jucan Hong and Qingzhuang Ke were arrested by the bureau’s Intelligence Division.
Viado said that Hong was arrested in Legazpi City while Ke was apprehended in Tagum City.
“Citizenship is not a costume that foreigners can wear when it is convenient,” declared Viado.
He warned that “those who falsely claim to be Filipinos to gain privileges, evade the law, or manipulate our systems will be arrested, prosecuted, and deported.”
Citing reports from BI Intelligence Division Chief Fortunato Manahan Jr., the bureau said that Hong had long been misrepresenting himself as a Filipino to secure government-issued identification, including a driver’s license indicating Philippine citizenship, and to engage in business activities.
While Ke, the BI said, has been using a fake Filipino identity named Jimmy Reyes.
“Investigators discovered that Ke obtained a delayed registration of birth certificate under a fictitious Filipino name, which he then used to acquire multiple Philippine IDs, open bank accounts, register vehicles, and operate a warehouse business under the guise of Filipino ownership,” the BI said.
The two foreigners are now under BI’s custody pending their deportation.