BUREAU of Immigration (BI) operatives have arrested 21 Chinese in Pasay City for working without permits.
BI Commissioner Jaime Morente said the aliens were arrested Dec. 18 at two shopping malls where they were caught in the act of selling retail goods to the public.
Morente said he authorized the raid after informants tipped the bureau about the presence of foreign nationals working inside the said malls without working visas.
“They will be deported for violating the conditions of their stay in the country and for engaging in gainful activity without the necessary permits,” the BI chief said.
He added that foreigners continued to sell at the malls even after BI agents raided the same establishment more than a month ago and arrested several illegal foreign vendors.
“These illegal aliens are brazenly working out in the open, violating immigration laws and steal jobs from Filipinos,” adding the they will not stop hunting them down and sending them out.”
According to BI intelligence chief Fortunato Manahan Jr., 12 of the Chinese vendors were arrested at the One Shopping Center while nine others were rounded up at the nearby Two Shopping Center, both located in Baclaran.
Manahan said that most of those arrested are in the country as tourists or temporary visitors while some could not even present their travel documents.
He stated that the aliens seemed to be “taking advantage of the holiday rush” by selling retail goods.
They are presently detained at the BI detention facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City pending deportation proceedings. (Jun Ramirez)