Zamboanga: Joint operatives of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) and the Army's 1st Infantry Division (1ID) have arrested two Chinese nationals in separate operations in two Zamboanga Peninsula provinces for violating Philippine immigration laws, the military said Wednesday. In a report, the 1ID said one of the two Chinese was arrested in Aurora, Zamboanga del Sur, and the other in Buug, Zamboanga Sibugay. Both were arrested on Tuesday.
According to Philippines News Agency, Lieben Chen, alias Peter Chen, was arrested in Aurora. He was admitted with a 9G employment visa but engaged in business activities outside his authorized scope of work, violating immigration laws. On the other hand, Jianhong Liu, alias Kent Sy, was arrested in Buug after verification showed that he was operating and managing a business while holding only a tourist visa. The 1ID stated that both operations were conducted under BI mission orders.
'They are currently under BI custody pending appropriate administrative proceedings, with full observance of due process and existing laws,' it said. Based on initial findings, the apprehended foreign nationals are being processed for misrepresentation and fraud under the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940, as amended. Meanwhile, the 1ID said the BI has likewise identified Lieyong Chen and another, Weng Yashen alias Serena Adrid Weng, both Chinese nationals, as persons of interest in separate immigration and documentary irregularities.
Preliminary verification is ongoing regarding their alleged irregular acquisition of Philippine birth certificates and passports, purportedly linked to travel, property, and business transactions. These matters remain subject to further validation and appropriate administrative action. Without disclosing the specific location, the 1ID said that Lieyong and Weng were not arrested because they were not present at the premises during the operation.
Maj. Gen. Yegor Rey Barroquillo Jr., 1ID commander, expressed full support for the ongoing investigations and affirmed that outcomes will be determined strictly based on facts, evidence, and the rule of law. 'We respect the authority of our civilian counterparts and trust that this matter will be resolved through due process,' he said.
