Lanao Sur ops capture 2 undesirable aliens

Authorities arrested two foreign nationals during a counterterrorism operation last Friday in Barangay Lomidong, Marawi City, according to the Philippine National Police (PNP).

The suspects, both 22-year-old men from Tajikistan, were apprehended in a rented room following the enforcement of a Bureau of Immigration mission order against undesirable aliens.

The joint operation involved a massive deployment of security forces, including several units from the PNP Special Action Force, the Marawi City Police Station, and the Lanao del Sur Provincial Intelligence Unit.

They were supported by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, the Bureau of Immigration, and the Philippine Army’s 103rd Brigade.

PNP Chief Police General Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr. said the mission highlights the government’s efforts to ensure foreign visitors comply with national laws.

“This operation demonstrates our firm commitment to protecting national security by ensuring that foreign nationals within our borders comply with our laws and do not pose any threat to public safety,” Nartatez said.

“We will not allow our country to be used as a sanctuary for anyone with ill intentions against peace and order,” he added.

The two men are currently in the custody of the Bureau of Immigration for documentation and legal processing.

Police officials said they are continuing to investigate the suspects’ presence in the region to determine any potential security implications. The arrest was carried out under the PNP’s “Focused Agenda,” a framework aimed at enhancing intelligence monitoring and responsive law enforcement.