Immigration arrests 36 Chinese, Taiwanese citizens

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

AT LEAST 36 Chinese and Taiwanese nationals were held by Bureau of Immigration (BI) operatives for reportedly engaging in illegal retail trade in a big shopping mall in Divisoria, Manila.

Acting BI Intelligence chief Carlito Licas said most of those rounded up last Tuesday do not possess any passport or valid work permit and visa in violation of Section 9 and 37 of the Philippine Immigration Law.

He said the bureau received several complaints about illegal aliens openly engaged in buy and sell activities at the 999 Shopping Mall.

However, upon verification of their status, 20 of them including a 15-year-old female from mainland China were released shortly after they presented valid documents on their stay in the country.

He noted that a mission order has been issued against one Ting Ting Gong, a 23-year-old woman after she slipped out of the BI offices when allowed to use the bathroom.

Gong reportedly arrived in the country as a tourist on December 4, 2009 and never adjusted her status in violation of Immigration laws.

The 16 foreigners remaining in BI custody were identified as Qingping Cai, Lifen Qui, Shaocong Wu, Irenea Chua, Xiulian Dong, Meijiao Lin, Pei de Wu, Lingya Lin, Yingwei Cai, Shaoling Wang, Nanguo Zhang, Zhenyi Chen, Danyang Cai, Qiuren Chen, Huapeng Wang, all of People's Republic of China (PROC) and John Govito, Taiwan national.

On the other hand, three Filipino workers were also freed after being taken custody with the Chinese.

On January 15, immigration agents apprehended 25 Chinese nationals also engaged in illegal trade at another shopping mall in Baclaran, Parañaque City.
In December, the BI and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) raided the 168 Mall in Divisoria and arrested several Chinese businessmen while operating a tiangge or flea market bazaar. (FP/Sunnex)

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/manila/loc...itizens-327912