Immigration bureau ramps up efforts to track illegal aliens hiding in provinces
MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Immigration said it is deploying more regional intelligence officers as it also relaunched its helpline track more foreign nationals who are undocumented or overstaying in the country.
In a statement on Sunday, BI said it is hoping to investigate “far flung areas” of the Philippines after receiving reports that some illegal aliens are hiding there. The reestablished hotline also now accepts reports from unnamed individuals.
“We have expanded the scope of the helpline to accommodate anonymous reports from the public about illegal aliens that might be hiding in their areas,” BI Commissioner Norman Tansingo said.
“We see that social media is a powerful tool and it can be used to receive valuable information that might help us rid the country of foreign nationals abusing our hospitality.”
BI Intelligence Division Chief Fortunato Manahan Jr., in the same statement, said they recently arrested illegal aliens in La Union and Laguna.
In a Laguna operation held end-February, BI’s intelligence operatives arrested five Chinese nationals in a warehouse who were undocumented and have been found to work without the proper visa. On the same day in La Union, officials also arrested a 34-year-old Indian national for overstaying in the country for over four years.
Last year, the Philippines also held dialogue with China after the Philippines moved to deport former employees of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators that lost business permits over illegal activities. — Kaycee Valmonte
READ: DOJ to meet with China embassy over workers from cancelled POGOs
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