Bureau of Immigration (BI) – Page 2

Chinese national caught with high-tech eavesdropping equipment charged by NBI

May 6, 2025May 1, 2025carlocarrasco

The Chinese national who was arrested near the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) building in Manila with high-tech equipment with him has been formally charged by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), according to a news story by the Philippine New Agency (PNA). GMA Network had its own reporter on location when the arrest happened.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news article of the PNA. Some parts in boldface…

The National Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday filed criminal charges against a Chinese national arrested for possession of electronic eavesdropping equipment near the Commission on Elections (Comelec) building in Intramuros, Manila on Tuesday.

Tak Hail Lao, 47, was charged by the NBI before the Department of Justice (DOJ) with misuse of device and illegal interception and system interference under Republic Act No. 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, and espionage under Commonwealth Act No. 616 or the Espionage Act of 1941.

Speaking to reporters, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said while the charges are bailable, “it will be up to the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to decide whether temporary liberty should be granted while the case is pending since the suspect is a foreign national.”

Records from the BI showed that Tak Hail Lao, who uses a passport issued by the Chinese special administrative region of Macau, arrived last April 2 and had no derogatory record.

He was caught in possession of an international mobile subscriber identity device, or IMSI catcher, which can be used to intercept mobile communications, including text messages.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think there could be a lot more Chinese nationals using high-tech equipment in the Philippines doing secret acts of espionage? Do you consider Chinese spies a threat to national security?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Wanted foreigner arrested in Las Piñas City

April 29, 2025April 24, 2025carlocarrasco

Recently in the City of Las Piñas, local law enforcers apprehended a 23-year-old Japanese national who has been wanted for a series of criminal acts that happened in Japan, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article. The suspect was described to be a member of a notorious gang and has overstayed in the Philippines for some time now.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news article of the PNA. Some parts in boldface…

Another member of the infamous “Luffy” gang, which is being linked to theft, fraud, extortion, and violent crimes in Japan, has been arrested in the Philippines.

Takuya Hoshino, 23, was arrested inside his residence in a subdivision in Las Piñas City on Tuesday, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said in a news release on Wednesday.

Hoshino was the latest member of the notorious criminal gang arrested by the BI since last year, after their presence in the country was reported by the Japanese government.

“Like his colleagues in the syndicate whom we have earlier arrested, he, too, will be deported, blacklisted, and banned from re-entering the Philippines,” Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said.

Hoshino was detained at the BI warden facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City, pending implementation of the deportation order that the bureau’s Board of Commissioners issued against him for being an undesirable alien.

According to BI Fugitive Search Unit (FSU) chief Rendel Ryan Sy, Hoshino is subject of an outstanding arrest warrant issued by the Tokyo Summary Court on Sept. 15, 2022 after he was charged with theft in violation of the Japanese penal code.

The suspect and his cohorts allegedly stole ATM cards from unsuspecting elderly victims by impersonating law enforcement officers.

They were also accused of staging fake police investigations to dupe their victims into surrendering their bank cards.

Over 20 million yen, or more than USD141,000, in cash were reportedly siphoned off by the suspects through unauthorized withdrawals from the stolen cards.

A check on his travel record showed that Hoshino overstayed in the country for more than five years, as his last arrival was recorded on Oct. 30, 2019.

Viado said the arrest forms part of the government’s broader effort to protect national security and public safety, in line with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to strengthen border control and crack down on transnational crimes.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, what is your reaction to this development? Are you concerned that there could be a lot more foreign gang members or fugitives who could be living in your local community?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673

Immigration officials arrest two wanted foreigners in BF Homes, Parañaque City

April 28, 2025April 27, 2025carlocarrasco

Recently in Parañaque City, elements of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) arrested two wanted foreigners in BF Homes subdivision who allegedly were involved in fraud overseas, according to a Manila Bulletin news report. One of the suspects has been tagged by the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) with a red notice since 2018.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…

Two South Korean “fugitives,” who are wanted in their country for their alleged involvement in investment scams, have been arrested by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) in Paranaque City.

The BI identified them as Kim Young Sam, 58, and Weon Cheolyong, 59, who were arrested at the BF Homes Village in Paranaque City last April 22.

“Both aliens will remain at the BI custodial facility inside Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City until their deportation,” the bureau said. The arrest of Kim was ordered Commissioner Joel Anthony M. Viado, it said.

During the operation, the BI said “the arresting agents discovered the presence of another Korean fugitive later identified as 59-year-old Weon Cheolyong.”

It said that “Kim will be deported immediately as he was already ordered expelled by the BI board of commissioners in December 2021 for being an undesirable alien.”

“Kim is also subject of an Interpol (International Criminal Police Organization) red notice that was issued in 2018 after a warrant for his arrest was issued by the Seoul central district court where he was charged with fund raising for a business without government permit,” the BI said.

“Authorities alleged that as manager of a Seoul-based company, Kim and his accomplices engaged in fraudulent operations by soliciting investments for the development of an alleged cryptocurrency business,” it also said.

It added that since 2015 “the said company has defrauded over 3 billion worth of investments from 253 victims.”

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? If you are a resident of Parañaque, do you think there are still a lot of wanted foreigners hiding within the local communities of the city? Has your local community been communicating lately with the Bureau of Immigration lately?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Immigration officials arrest Chinese fugitive in Parañaque City

April 21, 2025April 17, 2025carlocarrasco

Recently in Parañaque City, elements of the Bureau of Immigration’s (BI) fugitive search unit apprehended a China national over drug trafficking charges, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…

A Chinese national wanted in his country for drug trafficking charges has been arrested in Parañaque City, Bureau of Immigration (BI) said on Wednesday.

In a news release, BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado identified the fugitive as Ouyang Shixing, 40, who was arrested inside his condominium unit by elements from the BI’s Fugitive Search Unit (FSU).

“Ouyang is the subject of a red notice from the Interpol (International Criminal Police Organization) which was issued last year after he was indicted for drug trafficking in violation of China’s criminal laws,” Viado said.

He said the suspect is also the subject of an arrest warrant issued in November 2023 by the public security bureau in Fuzhou City, Jiangxi, China.

Based on the information received by the BI, Ouyang conspired with another suspect on May 12, 2023 in purchasing methamphetamine from a drug supplier, and later sold the substance to a buyer who paid them 70,000 yuan or nearly USD10,000.

Ouyang then took a train to Hong Kong on Aug. 2 of the same year and absconded with the money by fleeing to the Philippines.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? If you are a resident of Parañaque, are you concerned there could be more foreign fugitives hiding in your local community right now? What do you think makes Parañaque an attractive city for fugitives to hide in?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Bureau of Immigration (BI) reminds foreigners to behave and respect laws of the Philippines

April 9, 2025April 3, 2025carlocarrasco

In relation to a recent viral video of a foreign national who caused some trouble locally, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) reminded foreigners present in the Philippine to behave and respect the nation’s laws and locals, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the report of the PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Wednesday reminded anew foreigners visiting the country to respect Filipinos and the country’s laws.

This came following a viral video of a Russian vlogger allegedly harassing people at the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City.

“Foreign visitors are expected to be in good behavior during their stay in the Philippines. We are a very hospitable country, and have the nicest, kindest people,” BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval said in a message to the Philippine News Agency.

“Hence, visitors are expected to reciprocate this and follow laws during their stay here,” she added.

In a post on X, content creator Vitaly Zdorovetskiy was seen threatening to rob a woman passing by the area who refused his offer of money in exchange for appearing in his vlog.

The foreigner went on berating the woman who was wearing a face mask, saying she might have Covid-19 and that she should get vaccinated.

In another incident, a mall security guard flagged Zdorovetskiy and told him to stop recording inside the establishment. He then grabbed the guard’s hat and refused to return it. He was also seen mocking the security guard.

For more insight about the Russian content creator, posted below are YouTube videos about his past and what he did here in the Philippines. He has been arrested.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Did you witness any foreigners misbehaving or harassing locals recently? Are you concerned that more troublesome content creators or IRL streamers from overseas will come into the country and become problematic?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Troublesome Russian streamer to stay in country to be formally charged

April 9, 2025April 8, 2025carlocarrasco

The troublesome Russian streamer Vitaly Zdorovetskiy won’t be leaving the Philippines any time soon as he will be formally charged for what he committed in public recently, according to a news article by the Philippine News Agency (PNA). He was presented to the media in the presence of Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the report of the PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…

Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla on Monday said Russian vlogger Vitaly Zdorovetskiy will have to stay longer in the country to face criminal charges for harassing and insulting Filipinos for content.

Remulla said Zdorovetskiy will not be deported until such time that a final verdict is handed down by a Philippine court.

“Babala na rin ito (This is also a warning). People have to take responsibility for the content they create. It is not a license to shame or to hurt or to besmirch anyone,” Remulla said in a press conference in Quezon City.

Remulla said the Russian, arrested April 2 in Pasay, is under the custody of the Bureau of Immigration “as an undesirable alien and a flight risk.”

At least five criminal charges were filed against Zdorevetskiy, including a case in Boracay Island where he allegedly insulted a windsurfing instructor.

“He has been making vlogs and making money out of disrespecting people. But not in our own land. We will not allow him to insult and disrespect any Filipino,” Remulla said.

During the press briefing, the moderator had to remind the Russian to behave after he was seen murmuring and making gestures apparently aimed at the DILG chief. Remulla said he heard Zdorevetskiy cursing at him.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the way the local authorities are handling Vitaly Zdorovetskiy will send a strong message to troublesome foreign streamers that they will be held accountable if they harass locals while staying in the Philippines? Do you think Congress should pass new laws to deal with problematic vloggers and live streamers? Should the national government be more active in dealing with streaming platforms whose account holders include troublesome streamers and vloggers? Do you think the government Russia will do something about the arrested Vitaly Zdorovetskiy?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Wanted Vietnamese national apprehended at NAIA Terminal 3

April 7, 2025April 1, 2025carlocarrasco

Recently a Vietnamese national who turned out to be a wanted person over kidnap and rape was arrested by immigration officers at Terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…

Bureau of Immigration (BI) officers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 in Pasay City have arrested a Vietnamese national wanted in the country for abducting and raping a Chinese woman in 2023.

In a news release Monday, BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said Nguyen Hu Mai, 48, was intercepted at the NAIA Terminal 3 while attempting to flee aboard a Cebu Pacific flight to Saigon last March 21.

The foreigner was immediately referred to supervisors for secondary inspection after his name prompted a positive hit in the centralized derogatory database of the bureau.

“Our supervisors were able to establish that the passenger and person appearing in our watchlist are one and the same. He was thus stopped and arrested by our airport personnel,” he added.

Nguyen was immediately turned over to the BI’s border control and intelligence unit (BCIU) and later transferred to the bureau’s detention facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City.

According to BI-BCIU chief Ferdinand Tendenilla, Nguyen has been on the wanted list of the BI since March 10 when he and two Chinese nationals were charged with deportation for being undesirable aliens for being prime suspects in the kidnapping and rape case.

Police investigators alleged that on March 2, 2023, the three foreigners kidnapped a Chinese woman inside her condominium unit in Makati City.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think there could be more personnel of the Bureau of Immigration who are engaged in illegal activities that the national authorities have yet to find? Do you think that the syndicates behind human trafficking are a threat to national security?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Bureau of Immigration (BI) relieves seven personnel for suspected illegal activities

April 3, 2025March 27, 2025carlocarrasco

Over suspicion of engaging in illegal activities, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) recently relieved seven of its personnel from their posts, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…

Seven personnel of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) suspected to be involved in illegal activities have been relieved from their posts.

In a statement Wednesday, Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said the move aligns with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to eliminate corruption and strengthen border security.

He said the relieved personnel, assigned at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminals 1 and 3, are under investigation following reports linking them to the illegal departure of trafficking victims repatriated on March 25.

If found to have assisted the victims, these employees would face charges before the Department of Justice.

Based on BI records, the victims arrived in Manila on board a Philippine Airlines flight from Bangkok, Thailand after being rescued by the Philippine government from online scamming syndicates in Myanmar.

While tighter measures are in place, Viado acknowledged the growing challenge of intercepting trafficking victims at airports, as many now come from well-off backgrounds and pose as legitimate tourists.

The BI chief also reported that a total of 1,093 victims of human trafficking were intercepted in 2024. These victims were referred to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) for investigation and filing of cases against their recruiters.

Apart from pretending to be regular tourists, he warned that trafficking syndicates continue to exploit backdoor routes in an attempt to bypass stricter immigration controls.

Earlier this month, the BI reported the repatriation of three trafficking victims from Cambodia after being forced to work in a scam hub.

Investigations revealed they had no official record of departure, having been reportedly smuggled out via small boats from Jolo, Sulu, to Sabah, Malaysia.

The victims admitted that their passports were later stamped with fake Philippine departure marks before they traveled to Cambodia through Malaysia and Thailand.

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Foreign fugitive arrested by immigration operatives in Parañaque City

March 15, 2025March 5, 2025carlocarrasco

Recently in Parañaque City, elements of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) arrested a South Korean fugitive who has been hiding in the country for more than two years already, according to a GMA Network news report. The fugitive is wanted in South Korea for telecommunication fraud.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the GMA news report. Some parts in boldface…

A South Korean fugitive wanted in his country for his alleged involvement in telecommunications fraud was arrested in Parañaque City.

Operatives of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) nabbed Park Seungeon, 24, along Bradco Avenue on February 27. He is now under BI custody and is detained at the warden facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, where he will remain pending deportation proceedings.

“He is also an overstaying alien as he had hidden in the country for more than two years to evade arrest and prosecution for his crimes,” BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said in a news release.

According to the BI, an Interpol red notice was issued against Park over a year ago after a warrant of arrest was issued against him by the Incheon district court in Seoul where he was indicted for fraud.

Korean authorities said that Park is a member of a telecom fraud syndicate who allegedly offered false low-interest debt consolidation loan to a victim from whom he fraudulent obtained and embezzled money amounting to more than 20.1 million won, or roughly US$14,000.

A check of his travel records showed that Park arrived in the Philippines as a tourist on August 2022 and has not departed since then.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? If you are a resident of Parañaque, are you concerned that there could be a lot more foreign fugitives hiding within your local community?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Office building in Parañaque City raided, hundreds of employees arrested

February 22, 2025February 22, 2025carlocarrasco

Very recently in the City of Parañaque, a team of local law enforcers raided an office building in the Bay Area resulting in hundreds of suspected Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) employees – including 146 foreigners – getting arrested, according to a GMA Network news report.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the GMA news report. Some parts in boldface…

Authorities arrested 453 illegal POGO employees in a raid in an office building in the Bay Area of Parañaque City on Thursday.

Operatives from the PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Bureau of Immigration (BI), Department of Justice Office of Cybercrime (DOJ OOC) and the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) enforced an arrest warrant against a Chinese national for fraud.

An Immigration Mission Order was also implemented as the subject is an employee of suspected POGO that has been under surveillance for the past months.

A total of 453 employees including 146 foreigners, mostly Chinese, were caught in front of their computers on the three floors of the building believed to be operating illegal offshore gaming and scamming activities.

“Dalawang taon na raw silang nag-o-operate and they never stopped. Galing daw sila ng ASEANA. Nung medyo uminit daw doon, lumipat daw sila dito,” PAOCC Spokesperson Director Winston Casio told GMA Integrated News.

Initial review of computer screens and interviews with Filipino employees revealed the different scams employed in the alleged POGO.

“Bawat floor, iba-ibang scam. Sa fifth floor at seventh floor, stock investment scam. Pero ang pinagkaiba dito sa seventh floor, may spamming na nagaganap using a Hong Kong mobile,” DOJ OOC Head Agent Innah Protacio-Ladislao said.

“Sa sixth floor is online betting scam. Particularly, target nila is Indian. Sa sixth floor, Filipino ang employees,” Protacio-Ladislao added.

Scripts for scamming were also found in workstations.

Authorities recovered hundreds of computers, laptops, smartphones, pre-registered SIM cards and other gadgets. The said items will be examined and will undergo digital forensics.

Based on information gathered, local authorities issued a closure order on the POGO after it was raided before.

It is now operating under a new name with a Mayor’s permit, business license and a barangay permit. These will form part of the investigation.

“Dapat kasi before they issue yung permits nila, yung sa barangay, yung sa city hall, dapat they do yung talagang religious inspection of the establishment,” PAOCC Executive Director Undersecretary Gilbert Cruz said.

“Kung ang permit nila is entertainment, are they really indulging yung kumpanya nila sa entertainment? O baka naman scamming yan tulad ng nangyayari dito?” Cruz added.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? If you are a resident of Parañaque, do you think the City Government is ignoring the presence of POGOs within its jurisdiction? Do you think the Parañaque City Government and barangays should be more careful with reviewing business applications and ensure that no new POGOs will sprout?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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