DAVAO CITY — The bureau of Immigration has arrested 423 international criminals in 2019 who hid in the Philippines to avoid prosecution of their crimes back home.
Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said many of the 423 alien fugitives arrested were already deported to their countries of origin and are now serving their sentences behind bars.
The number reflects 64% increase compared to the 2018 figure. The BI statistics showed that the bulk of those arrested were 324 Chinese nationals, 277 of whom were rounded up during a raid of their lairs at the Ortigas Center in Pasig City last September.
The 277 Chinese nationals were all wanted for involvement in a large-scale investment scam wherein a thousand of their compatriots were victimized and whose combined losses amounted to more than 100 million yuan or more than US$14 million.
Included in the list are 36 Japanese nationals wanted by authorities for involvement in telecom fraud and theft and whose victims allegedly incurred losses of more than 2 billion yen or more than US$18 million.
There were also 27 Koreans, 20 Americans, 3 other Japanese, as well ass three Taiwanese and two Britons. Completing the list is a Russian, a Swede, a Malaysian, a Colombian, an Australian, and a German.
Those arrested “Can no longer come back because they have been placed in our blacklist of undesirable aliens,” Morente said.
“We cannot allow these criminals to use the Philippines as their sanctuary.”The BI chief disclosed.
Those arrested where charged and were issued warrants of arrest for various serious offenses, including rape, child molestation, illegal drugs, fraud, cyber crimes, and large-scale economic crimes
Morente vowed for a more intensified campaign against illegal aliens and foreign fugitives for 2020. “These criminals are not welcome here in the Philippines,” he said. “Many of which are part of international syndicates that try to relocate their operations in the country. We will not allow this. They will be arrested, deported, and immediately banned from returning,” he warned.
