The Bureau of Immigration on Friday disclosed that more than 400 foreign nationals are set to be placed on a blacklist after it was discovered that they were petitioned by a fake company.

BI commissioner Norman Tansingco said that the move is part of the agency's effort to expel illegal immigrants from the nation, especially those who get visas by using fictitious documentation.

The BI chief said that a total of 459 aliens have been utilizing fake companies in their applications, according to three successive audit reports from their Verification and Compliance Division.

He added that the foreign nationals' applications were processed using the services of accredited entities authorized to apply on behalf of the foreign nationals but through their audits, they discovered that the companies that petitioned them were spurious.

The Bureau revealed that at least 79 accredited liaison officers are facing investigations by the National Bureau of Investigation for the modus in which four BI lawyers are also under investigation in relation to their alleged involvement.

Last week, the BI reported uncovering the modus, prompting a massive investigation into the purported scheme.

According to Tansingco, they immediately reported this matter to the Department of Justice which committed to assisting in the investigation with the NBI, adding that the subject of foreign nationals' visas will be canceled, and those inside the country will be ordered to leave and blacklisted.

The audit comes after searches by local law enforcement agencies turned up prostitution dens and scam hubs masquerading as respectable businesses.