BI deports 333 Chinese nationals in telco fraud

By JUN RAMIREZ

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) deported on Thursday 312 adult Chinese nationals reportedly involved in telco fraud, along with 21 minors.

BI Commissioner Jaime Morente said the first batch of deportees was part of the 512 arrested last month in a raid of a business process outsourcing (BPO) office in Pasay City.

Last October 9, immigration and police operatives raided a BPO center in the Millenium Building, Pasay, and hauled 512 aliens found to be reportedly conducting scamming operations.

Those arrested consisted of Chinese, Burmese, Malaysians, Vietnamese, Taiwanese, and Indonesians.

BI intelligence chief Fortunato Manahan Jr. called the operation a success after the implementation of the mass deportation.

"The undesirable aliens were deported and we are very much thankful to the NCRPO (National Capital Region Police Office) for assisting us in this operation," said Manahan.

Manahan said the passports of the deportees have already been cancelled by the Chinese government, making them undocumented aliens.

Manahan stated that the 312 aliens and 21 minors boarded five chartered China Eastern flights to Shijiaxuang, Hebei Province and Changchun, Jilin Province.

They were escorted by BI intelligence personnel as well as Chinese police officers.

The remaining aliens still in the country were transferred from the police holding center in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig, to the BI warden facility in Bicutan also in Taguig pending the issuance of their deportation orders and clearances.

Morente commended the BI Intelligence division for the successful implementation of the operation.

“Let this serve as a warning to aliens planning to use the country as a base for their illegal operations. Expect more arrests in the coming days,” the BI chief warned.