By Ferdinand Patinio

ARRESTED. One of the four Chinese nationals (right) arrested by Bureau of Immigration (BI) agents in Agusan del Sur on Oct. 1, 2025 for working without valid visa. BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado on Monday (Oct. 6) said the four were the third batch of foreign illegal miners apprehended by the bureau in recent weeks in accordance with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. (Photo from BI)

MANILA – Four Chinese nationals were arrested in Agusan del Sur last week for immigration violations linked to illegal mining, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) reported on Monday.

The four were arrested after operatives from the Regional Intelligence Operations Unit 13 implemented a mission order on Oct. 1 in coordination with the Philippine National Police and government intelligence forces.

The suspects, who were brought to the Agusan del Sur Provincial Jail for temporary safekeeping, will face charges for violations of the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940 for misrepresentation and working without valid visas.

In a statement, BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said it was the third batch of foreign illegal miners apprehended by the bureau in recent weeks.

“This series of arrests shows that we are unrelenting in our fight against foreign nationals who abuse our hospitality and plunder our natural resources,” he said.

Following the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., Viado said the BI will continue working hand-in-hand with other law enforcement agencies to arrest foreigners involved in illegal mining and other immigration violations.

“We will ensure that violators are deported and permanently barred from returning to the Philippines,” he said.

In a related development, BI’s Fugitive Search Unit (FSU) chief Rendel Ryan Sy reported the recent arrest of two Chinese nationals during a law enforcement operation in Barangay Tambo, Parañaque City.

The suspects were identified as Kong Xiangyu, 36, who was found to be an overstaying and undesirable alien, and Yang Bing, 53, who was found to have active derogatory records and is subject to a hold departure order issued by a Parañaque court.

The BI said Kong is also wanted by the Jiutai District Court in Chang Chun City, Jilin Province, China, for allegedly conspiring with other Chinese nationals to collect around 6.54 million RMB from 42 investors between 2016 and 2019 through fraudulent investment schemes.

The two were arrested on Sept. 29. (PNA)