By Ferdinand Patinio
MANILA – Over 100 foreign nationals, most of them Vietnamese, were deported in batches on the first week of June this year, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) reported on Monday.
In a statement, the BI said 44 Vietnamese nationals were deported on June 3, 26 Vietnamese and 12 South Koreans on June 4, seven more Vietnamese on June 5, and 25 Vietnamese and one Malagasy on June 6, for a total of 115 deportees.
BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said all 115 deportees were placed on the bureau’s blacklist, effectively barring them from returning to the Philippines.
Viado said many of the deported individuals were found residing or working in Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGO) hubs that have been linked to various forms of organized crime, including online fraud and trafficking.
At the same time, he reiterated the BI’s warning that while the Philippines remains open to legitimate visitors and investors, those who engage in illegal activities will be dealt with to the full extent of the law.
“The Philippines welcomes those who follow our rules. But to those who come here to commit fraud, exploit our people, or violate our laws —expect to be arrested, deported, and banned from ever coming back,” Viado said.
He added more mass deportations are being scheduled in the coming weeks as part of the agency’s intensified campaign against illegal aliens.
“These operations are just the beginning. We are cleansing our borders of foreign nationals who threaten public order and national interest,” Viado said.
The BI chief added they are in close coordination with the embassies of the concerned foreign nationals to expedite the deportation proceedings and ensure full compliance with Philippine laws.
Viado said the move is in line with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to strengthen law enforcement and ensure that the Philippines is not used as a sanctuary for undocumented aliens, particularly those involved in illicit operations. (PNA)
