Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Jaime Morente announced Tuesday the arrest of 276 foreign nationals in a massive raid on a network technology company on Ayala Avenue in Makati City.
The BI chief said the raid followed after confidential information was received about foreign nationals working in the area without the required immigration visas.
BI intelligence division chief Fortunato Manahan, Jr. said the aliens were arrested for verification of their travel documents and immigration status.
They were mostly engaged in online gaming business.
“Most were undocumented, and were unable to present any proof showing their status of stay here,” said Manahan.
Morente said the raid is only the beginning of more operations against foreigners working without permits, adding “we are focusing our efforts on arresting those working without the proper documentation, stealing jobs from Filipinos.”
In 2018, the BI’s intelligence division arrested a total of 533 foreign nationals, mostly found to be working without permit.
The number is 326 percent higher than those apprehended in 2017.
The latest case has been forwarded to the BI’s legal division for verification and filing of appropriate charges as the aliens have been temporarily detained at the BI’s warden facility in Taguig City. (Jun Ramirez)
