BY GEROME DALIPE IV
ILOILO City – The City Council may conduct an investigation into the alleged presence of undocumented aliens in the city “in aid of legislation”.
There are unverified reports on undocumented Chinese and other nationals staying in posh subdivisions and they could be involved in illegal activities.
Concerned government agencies, particularly the Bureau of Immigration and the Department of Labor and Employment, may be summoned to the investigation.
As a rule, foreigners who have visas are supposed to stay in the country for a maximum of 30 days. There are doubts that the Immigration bureau may not be thoroughly checking the activities of foreigners.
November last year, the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) arrested 17 male Chinese nationals suspected of operating a cybersex den in Lawaan Village, a residential subdivision in Barangay Balantang, Jaro district.
The arrests 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, have reportedly been facilitating illicit activities for Filipino and foreign cybersex clients, according to Police Lieutenant Colonel Antonio Benitez Jr., head of ICPO’s Intelligence Unit.
A significant number of electronic devices and other equipment were seized during the operation, including 24 computer units containing obscene photos, two TP-link switch hubs with 24 ports, 49 cellular phones, two routers, a projector, modem, DVR Hikvision, and a collection of SIM cards.
Last week, Mayor Jerry Treñas earlier disclosed he rejected the proposal for POGOs (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators) by the Chinese to operate in Iloilo City due to concerns about the potential negative social and economic impacts they could bring to the community.
“Several times there were offers to set up POGOs here, but I refused. I don’t want them in my city,” Treñas said during his recent press briefing.
The mayor stressed that such industry has been associated with corruption and other crimes such as money laundering, and other illicit activities.
Treñas said several Chinese cities have expressed their intention to ink a sisterhood pact with the city government.
However, he said the city government is carefully evaluating these proposals amid the controversy surrounding POGO operations in the country and as part of the city’s commitment to maintaining social order and protecting the welfare of its residents.
The mayor added the city government is vigilant in ensuring that any unauthorized POGO activities do not take place within its jurisdiction.
The monitoring effort includes collaboration with law enforcement agencies and regulatory bodies to ensure compliance with local laws and to prevent any illicit activities associated with POGOs.
“There are Chinese-exclusive subdivisions, but most of these Chinese have been doing business in Iloilo for a long time already. These are not newcomers,” he said./PN
