Bureau of Immigration deports 21 Chinese for illegal mining

MANILA, Philippines - The Bureau of Immigration (BI) deported 21 Chinese nationals and barred them from re-entering the country after they were allegedly caught mining black sand in Zambales without securing the necessary permits from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

In a statement, BI Commissioner Marcelino Libanan said the Chinese nationals were put on board a flight to Xiamen, China yesterday.

Records show that the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) apprehended them on the suspicion that they were illegal drug smugglers who were pretending to be sailors. The suspects were on board two Chinese ships anchored off Palauig, Zambales.

But when they failed to find any illegal drugs on board, PDEA turned the 21 Chinese nationals over to the BI because they reportedly failed to produce travel documents.

BI prosecutors charged them for violating the immigration law. It was during the course of the investigation that authorities learned the Chinese nationals have also been mining black sand.

The BI’s Board of Commissioners issued the order for their deportation last Aug. 25. – Evelyn Macairan