34 Chinese arrested for allegedly working at construction site in Pasay

September 6, 2018

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has detained 34 Chinese men caught working at a construction site near the SM Mall of Asia complex in Pasay City last September 4.

Bureau of Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said the BI is still verifying their visa status to confirm if they overstayed.  He added those proven to have no appropriate visa will be charged and undergo deportation proceedings.

“Initial investigation indicate that they arrived here as tourists and that they were employed as construction workers without securing the necessary work permits from the government,” Morente  added.

BI Acting Intelligence Chief Fortunato Manahan Jr. said the 34 aliens were arrested Tuesday morning during a surprise raid of their project site along Diosdado Macapagal Avenue.  Manahan reported that said foreigners were allegedly employed to do finishing works on an office building in the area.

“We sought the Commissioner’s permission to conduct the operation after our surveillance activities confirmed the presence of the foreign construction workers at the building,” he added.  DMS