16 Indian, Chinese, Korean “illegal immigrants” nabbed

BACOLOD City , Philippines  â€”Ten Indian, three Chinese and three Korean nationals were arrested by the Bureau of  Immigration and the local police in separate raids in Negros Occidental from Monday to Wednesday for allegedly violating immigration laws, its official said.

Lawyer Faizal Hussin, BI special assistant for intelligence, yesterday said operatives of the Task Force Alien Mapping arrested Monday three illegal Chinese nationals in Kabankalan City, 10 Indian nationals (four of whom are minors) at a resort in La Castellana town last Tuesday, and three Korean nationals in Bacolod last Wednesday.

The 16 suspects will be charged and will be deported to their respective countries, said Hussin, adding that the crackdown in the province has been going on for seven days, starting last Monday, upon orders of acting BI Commissioner Siegfred Mison to check if foreigners here are complying with immigration laws.

BI intelligence officer Jude Hinolan identified the six Indian nationals as  Ahrey Singh, Kuldip Singh, Sandeed Kaur, Armol Preet, Kulwinder Kaur Gill, Gurprem Singh—all temporarily detained at the NBI-Bacolod. Two of  them have expired tourist visas, while the four others have no permits at all.

Hussin said the names of  the four juveniles have been withheld and they were not detained because they are only toddlers.

More illegal Indian nationals involved in lending business in Bacolod were reported to the BI, but Hussin said their whereabouts are still being traced.

The task force, composed of organic personnel of the BI Intelligence Division, further apprehended three Korean nationals, who were reportedly running a learning center in Bacolod, even if they have only tourist or student visas.

Hussing however said the BI had released the three Chinese nationals after the 36- hour reglamentary period lapsed, with the BI lawyers failing to file deportation charges against the illegal aliens.

Hussin said the task force went to La Carlota City yesterday to check on more illegal aliens, but the latter were not around and their houses closed.

Citing records of the Bacolod alien office, Hussin said the number of  registered aliens in this city was only 1,200, but unverified reports said there are more illegal or undocumented foreigners, staying here for a long time already.

The Task Force Alien Mapping is into a nationwide crackdown. After seven days in Bacolod, it will move to another area for the purpose, Hussin added.  (FREEMAN)