Bureau of Immigration (BI) operatives arrested five Chinese nationals, one of whom misrepresented himself as a Filipino, for illegally working in the country.
BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said that arrested 32-year-old Wang Chaoxin was reported to have been managing a trading company and presenting himself as a Filipino.
Wang was arrested together with four others, who were found to have violated the conditions of their stay. Three of the cohorts held working visas but were found to be working in a company other than their declared petitioner, while one was found to have been working without a permit.
The operation was conducted jointly with the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) from Cebu and Manila.
The immigration chief said that he issued the mission order after receiving information from military intelligence operatives that Wang had been using a fake identity and had procured a Philippine driver’s license, a birth certificate, and registered his company under his assumed Filipino name.
“This successful operation is a testament to the strong coordination between the Bureau of Immigration and our law enforcement partners,” Viado said.
“Through close collaboration with the AFP and the NBI, we are able to act swiftly on intelligence reports and ensure that those abusing our immigration system are held accountable,” he added.