9 Chinese arrested while disembarking on Manila Bay coast

NINE Chinese people were arrested by a combined team of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines over the weekend as they disembarked on motorboats in Manila Bay.

The nine people disembarked from three motorboats on the shore of Barangay Dongalo, in the city of Parañaque.

Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco on Tuesday identified the Chinese as Li Weilin, Liu Peng, Wang Yong, Huang Haibing, Gong Yuan Ju, Zhang Tao, Dai Guang Yuan, Li Jiang Yu and Kang Tian De.

BI Intelligence Division chief Fortunato Manahan Jr. said the bureau received reports of Chinese nationals boarding and disembarking on ships docked in Manila Bay.

Four of the foreigners had Philippine passports and 9G visas applied for by an engineering company in the country.

The other five were found to be undocumented.

“We have reason to believe that these individuals are engaged in illegal activities aboard vessels in Manila Bay,” Tansingco said. “Their visas limit their work to a company in Pasay City and nowhere else. Foreign nationals with valid work visas, if found working in another company, are violating the conditions of their stay,” he added.

The Chinese were taken to the BI detention center at Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan, Taguig City.

“This operation is a clear message that we will not tolerate foreign nationals abusing their stay in the country,” Tansingco said. “We remain vigilant in our efforts to protect our borders and maintain order,” he added.