The Bureau of Immigration has arrested 46 Chinese nationals wanted by authorities in Beijing for economic crimes.
Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said the arrested fugitives were also caught in the act of engaging in cyber fraud operations in call centers that they illegally operated while in the country.
Morente said the aliens were arrested in two operations conducted by operatives from the bureau’s Fugitive Search Unit in the cities of Makati and Muntinlupa following a request from the Chinese Embassy in Manila.
“We received information from the Chinese authorities that these fugitives are hiding in the Philippines,” said Morente.
“We immediately conducted our investigation upon receipt of information, and discovered that there were more fugitives involved conducting their illegal activities,” he added.
At least 30 of the foreigners were arrested in three different residential condominium buildings in Makati while the remaining 16 were rounded in a follow-up operation inside a house along Tanuan St., Ayala Alabang Village, Muntinlupa.
Morente said all 46 Chinese nationals are now undergoing deportation proceedings for violating the Philippine Immigration Act.
FSU chief Bobby Raquepo said many of those arrested were undocumented aliens as their passports have already been cancelled by the Chinese government.
Raquepo said the aliens were caught in the act of manning their computer workstations when the arresting teams raided their offices.
“Further coordination with the Chinese embassy in Manila later revealed that the arrested nationals are all wanted fugitives in China for involvement in economic crimes. It seems like they attempted to transfer their operations in the country,” Raquepo said.
