BI stemming influx of undesirable aliens

Sixteen Vietnamese nationals who allegedly entered the country to establish illegal online gaming hubs were detained by Bureau of Immigration (BI) officers.

According to BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco, a pattern had been established, whereby foreign nationals try to enter the country as tourists but end up working illegally.

Tansingco said that even if the aliens have all the required papers, further inspection would reveal that they’re not really tourists.

Those held by the BI arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 from Ho Chi Minh City. They could not say what particular parts of the Philippines they were supposed to visit.

Likewise, five Chinese nationals coming from Quanzhou, China via NAIA 1 were also denied entry by immigration officials after saying they came to work as laborers, without any means to sustain their stay in the country.

On Friday, the BI also barred three female Vietnamese and one Chinese man for suspicious purposes of travel to the country. The four arrived at NAIA Terminal 3 from Hanoi.

Tansingco said that he has alerted BI personnel over intelligence reports that human smuggling syndicates are again hard at work to bring in illegal aliens into the country.

“Since last month, I have ordered our immigration officers deployed to international airports to be on the lookout for certain foreign nationals who would attempt to enter the country disguised as tourists but whose real intent is to work here illegally in violation of the conditions of their admission and stay as temporary visitors,” Tansingco said.