Two Chinese nationals accused of posing as Filipinos and fraudulently obtaining Philippine identification documents were arrested in Iligan City, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said Tuesday. 

Operatives from the BI’s Mindanao Intelligence Task Group conducted a coordinated operation on 4 March, leading to the arrest of Baogui Xu, 53, and Lizun Cai, 50. Both suspects were found to have assumed Filipino identities, according to authorities.

The BI said the pair violated provisions of the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940, particularly those penalizing misrepresentation and classifying them as undesirable foreign nationals.

Investigators revealed that Cai had been using the name “Mia Chua Co,” while Xu went by “Stanny Co.” 

During questioning, Cai admitted to using Philippine-issued documents under a fictitious name and later presented her Chinese passport and alien certificate of registration. Xu likewise produced his Chinese passport and alien registration card.

Recovered from the foreigners are several identification cards bearing Xu’s photograph but under his assumed Filipino identity, including a driver’s license, a tax identification card from the Bureau of Internal Revenue, and a Philippine Postal ID.

The BI said the arrests were carried out in coordination with the Philippine Army and the Philippine National Police in Iligan City.

Following their arrest, the suspects were brought to the Iligan City Police Office for documentation and blotter procedures before undergoing inquest proceedings.

The BI reiterated its warning against foreigners misrepresenting themselves as Filipinos or illegally securing Philippine documents, emphasizing that violators face arrest, deportation, and blacklisting from re-entering the country.