Immigration to deport 55 Chinese arrested in Mariveles

April 20, 2017

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) is set to deport the 55 Chinese nationals arrested last Tuesday inside the freeport zone in Mariveles, Bataan and who are wanted by authorities in Beijing for economic crimes, a statement said Thursday. BI Commissioner Jaime Morente disclosed the bureau’s law and investigation division has filed immigration violation charges against the Chinese for being undocumented aliens and posing risk to public safety and security. He said the passports were canceled by the Chinese government which sought their deportation due to their involvement in online gaming operations here and in China. “Our board of commissioners will soon issue a summary deportation order against them after which they will be flown to China to stand trial for their crimes,” Morente said, adding the aliens will also be placed in the immigration blacklist to prevent them from returning to the Philippines. According to Immigration OIC Associate Commissioner Jose Carlitos Licas, the operation coincided with a similar crackdown of their accomplices by authorities in China that resulted in the arrest of undetermined number of suspects. Licas said the operations were carried out after months of surveillance by Chinese authorities and BI agents on activities of members of the gambling syndicate here and in China. He added the operation was coordinated with officials of the Bataan Freeport Authority and police attaché of the Chinese embassy in Manila. All 55 Chinese nationals are detained at the BI detention facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Bicutan, Taguig pending deportation proceedings. DMS