By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
As part of the government’s firm stance on implementing immigration laws and protecting Filipinos and legitimate businesses, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) collared 83 foreign nationals during an operation in Baclaran, Pasay City.
This, as the agency conducted weeks of thorough surveillance and verification of an intelligence report noting the presence of foreign workers conducting retail operations in the area.
Among those arrested on Jan. 7 were 68 Bangladeshi nationals, 14 Chinese nationals, and an Indian national, with the group composed of 81 men and 2 women.
Initial records showed that while some of the foreigners held valid visas, they were engaged in retail trade activities prohibited under Philippine law. There were 18 of them who merely held tourist visas, while six of them still had their identities for verification.
BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado stressed that possession of a visa does not grant blanket authority to work or do business in the country.
“The President has been very clear in his directive—our immigration laws must be enforced firmly and without exception. Foreign nationals who abuse their stay and illegally compete with Filipino livelihoods will be dealt with accordingly,” Viado said.
The apprehended foreigners were brought into custody for documentation, inquest proceedings, and the initiation of deportation cases, on top of other charges such as undocumented stay, misrepresentation, and violation of Republic Act No. 8762 or the Retail Trade Liberalization Act.
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