Briton, Indian nabbed by BI

Two foreign nationals have been arrested and will be deported for being undocumented and overstaying in the country, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said yesterday.

Immigration Commissioner Andrea Domingo said British national James Philip Smith and Indian national Krishan Lal were arrested over the weekend in separate operations conducted by BI agents.

Domingo said Smith was arrested Saturday at the Kababakaren Restaurant in Hinobaan, Negros Occidental while Lal was nabbed in his home at Buenmar Subdivision, Manggahan, Pasig City.

Both aliens, the BI chief disclosed, were unable to produce any travel documents. She added that both will be blacklisted and banned from re-entering the Philippines.

Records showed that Domingo ordered Smith’s arrest upon request of the municipal council of Hinobaan which passed a resolution demanding an investigation into the Briton’s immigration status.

The councilors said Smith has been the object of complaints by neighbors offended by his "untoward" behavior. They claimed the Briton has been staying in their town since 1999.

Smith admitted during questioning that he has been overstaying since 1995 and that his British passport had already expired two years ago.

Lal, on the other hand, was arrested after the bureau was tipped by informants, who claimed the Indian national entered the country through the southern backdoor without any visa or travel documents.

The arresting agents said Lal’s Indian companions, who are also believed to be illegal entrants, eluded arrest. – Rey Arquiza