The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has issued a stern warning to foreign fugitives seeking refuge in the Philippines.

BI commissioner Atty. Joel Anthony Viado stressed that the country will not tolerate the presence of individuals wanted by law enforcement agencies abroad.

Viado’s warning comes on the heels of the recent deportation of two high-profile fugitives as on 9 December, Japanese national Sasaki Yohei was deported to Tokyo after being identified as a member of a Cambodia-based telecom fraud syndicate involved in kidnapping, illegal detention, extortion and fraud.

Last 28 November 2024, Australian national Rodrigo Elices was intercepted at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA). Elices — believed to be member of the notorious Hells Angels motorcycle gang — was the subject of an Interpol red notice.

Australian authorities alleged that Elices was involved in a crime ring that produced and sold illegal drugs and firearms in Sydney. He also has a criminal record in Thailand, where he was imprisoned for entering the country with a stolen passport.

To bolster the BI’s efforts in apprehending foreign fugitives, Viado has directed the Fugitive Search Unit (FSU) to intensify its operations and explore data-sharing agreements with international law enforcement agencies.

“The quicker we obtain vital information, the quicker we can apprehend and deport these fugitives,” Viado said. “There is no place for fugitives in the Philippines.”

Viado recently attended a global forum of immigration officials, where he discussed strategies for better intercepting fugitives and stressed the importance of international cooperation in addressing transnational crime.