CEBU CITY – A Chinese national was arrested in Panglao, Bohol for allegedly violating Philippine immigration laws.
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Tuesday, Feb. 17, nabbed Jing Jin Guo of for misrepresentation under Section 37(a)(9) in relation to Section 45(f) of the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940, as amended.
Guo was accused of falsely declaring his nationality as Filipino based on his Philippine driver’s license.
Records revealed that Guo was born on Feb. 28, 1977 in Fujian, China, and holds a Chinese passport issued in Beijing on Sept. 18, 2013. The passport expired on Sept. 17, 2023.
According to BI, Guo entered the Philippines under a Special Resident Retiree’s Visa, which grants an indefinite stay with multiple-entry privileges.
Guo has reportedly been residing in Bohol since 2018 and has not departed the country since then.
Guo is said to be the director of the Overseas Chinese Service Center (OCSC)-Cebu and Bohol.
The OCSC has been reported to have links with the United Front Work system of the Chinese Communist Party in mobilizing overseas Chinese communities, cultivating local influence, shaping narratives favorable to China, and advancing state interests abroad.
Investigation said the OCSC can be exploited to facilitate the movement and settlement of Chinese nationals, consolidate community control structures, and establish informal networks.
These networks may serve as logistical, informational, or influence nodes, particularly when led by individuals holding long-term residency privileges or operating under false or concealed identities like that of Guo.
They can embed influence in communities, institutions, and legal systems until foreign state interests are indistinguishable from a civilian activity.
The BI said that given Guo's position and membership with the OCSC, he has been associated with activities that facilitated the entry, settlement, and movement of Chinese nationals in Bohol and Cebu.
Investigations are ongoing, and Guo remains under the custody of the BI pending appropriate legal proceedings.