The Bureau of Immigration (BI) apprehended five foreign nationals in Palawan for working without the proper documents on Tuesday, October 17.
The arrests were conducted in collaboration with government intelligence units, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and the National Bureau of Investigation.
The investigation was initiated following intelligence reports indicating that these foreigners were involved in various illegal activities.
The individuals were found to be working in fisheries near naval bases and had ties to an organized Chinese crime group operating in Palawan.
The illegal activities included wildlife trade, facilitating the illegal entry of undocumented Chinese nationals, harboring undocumented Chinese nationals, land acquisition through Filipino proxies, and the unlawful acquisition of Philippine identification documents.
The arrested individuals and their charges are as follows:
1) In Barangay Bucana, El Nido, Chinese nationals Lin Yongzhen, 45, and Zhang Haicong, 49, were arrested. Lin possessed a 9(g) working visa from a different company, while Zhang was working under a tourist visa.
2) In Barangay Liminangcong, Taytay, Palawan, Chinese national Zhang Haicong, 33, and Taiwanese national Lin Tsung-Te, 58, were arrested. Zhang held a working visa but was working in a different location, and Lin was found to be overstaying since 2016 without a valid passport.
3) In Barangay Tagburos, Puerto Princesa, Zhang Jinfei, 47, was arrested for working in the area while holding a working visa for a different location. Zhang also misrepresented himself as a Filipino by presenting a Philippine driver’s license indicating his nationality as such.
All five individuals will face charges for violating the Philippine immigration act and will remain in the BI’s facility in Bicutan, Taguig, while their deportation cases are processed.