BI deports foreign nationals over online scams

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has deported 17 Taiwanese nationals for their involvement in a large-scale online financial scam operation based in Cebu City.

The individuals were boarded on a direct flight to Taipei on 21 January after being designated as “undesirable aliens,” immigration officials said. All 17 were permanently blacklisted and are barred from re-entering the Philippines.

The deportation follows a May 2025 joint raid by the National Bureau of Investigation and government intelligence forces at an upscale subdivision in Cebu City.

During that operation, authorities uncovered a fully functional scam hub. Investigators said they caught the individuals “in flagrante,” or in the act, of manning workstations without required visas or permits.

A digital forensic examination of the seized equipment revealed scripts for romance and investment scams, as well as messaging platforms used to target victims.

Authorities also confirmed that several of the deported individuals had outstanding warrants for their arrest in other countries.

BI commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said the deportation aligns with a national policy to remove foreign criminals who exploit Philippine immigration laws.

“The BI will relentlessly pursue, arrest, and deport aliens who engage in illegal activities,” Viado said. “We are closing the doors to scammers, syndicates, and fugitives who believe they can hide behind tourist visas.”