ILOILO City – In a significant operation conducted on Feb. 22, special teams from the Bureau of Immigration (BI) successfully apprehended 16 Indian nationals for overstaying and other immigration violations in the provinces of Antique and Iloilo.
The operation, which was carried out discreetly to avoid alerting potential subjects, resulted in the arrest of six individuals in Antique and approximately 10 in Iloilo.
These arrests highlight the ongoing efforts by the BI to address the issue of foreign nationals overstaying their legal period.
The operations were conducted simultaneously in the two provinces by the special teams from the BI’s Intelligence Division in Manila, assisted by counterparts in its Region 6 office.
According to Panay News sources, the Indian nationals have been residing in the country for years, far beyond their authorized stay.
Most of these apprehended individuals were involved in the money lending business, a factor that contributed to their classification as high-value targets by the immigration authorities.
Following their arrest, the detainees were promptly flown to the BI main office in Metro Manila, where they are expected to face legal actions.
They could face deportation back to their home country, according to sources.
While many more Indian nationals were targeted in this operation, some reportedly managed to evade arrest after catching wind of the immigration bureau’s plans, sources added.
The operation underscores the BI’s commitment to enforcing immigration laws and regulating the stay of foreign nationals within Philippine borders.
The Bureau of Immigration continues its efforts to maintain the integrity of the country’s immigration policies and ensure that all foreign residents comply with local laws.
Just three months ago, in a pre-dawn operation on Nov. 4, 2023 the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) apprehended 17 male Chinese nationals suspected of operating a cybersex den in Lawaan Village, Barangay Balantang, Jaro district.
The arrests, made around 4:10 a.m., were based on a search warrant issued by Regional Trial Court-Branch 39 presiding Judge Victorino Maniba Jr.
The ICPO’s Intelligence Unit, alongside the City Drugs Enforcement Unit and Jaro police station, coordinated with the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center of the Department of Information and Communications Technology to carry out the raid.
The suspects, all of legal age, were reportedly facilitating illicit activities for Filipino and foreign cybersex clients, according to Police Lieutenant Colonel Antonio Benitez Jr., head of ICPO’s Intelligence Unit./PN
