277 illegal foreign workers nabbed in Pasig business district

MANILA, Philippines — Authorities arrested 277 foreign nationals working in the country illegally in a massive raid in Pasig City on Wednesday, the Bureau of Immigration announced Friday.

In a statement, the bureau said that 277 Chinese nationals were arrested in a raid led by its Fugitive Search Unit in a corporate center in Ortigas Center in Pasig City.

Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said the bureau received official communication from the Chinese Embassy on four Chinese fugitives engaged in an investment scam in the Philippines.

The operation to arrest the four however resulted in the arrest of 273 other Chinese nationals "who were caught in the act of conducting illegal online operations."

FSU head Bobby Raquepo added that the arrested Chinese workers were undocumented, and upon verification from the Chinese government, were found to be fugitives wanted for large-scale fraud and an investment scam in their country.

The raid was conducted in coordination with the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission, the Philippine National Police’s Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group and the Chinese Ministry of Public Security.

The Immigration bureau’s Legal Division is currently looking into the filing of charges against the arrested foreign workers.

They will be temporarily held at the BI’s Warden Facility in Taguig City pending deportation. — Kristine Joy Patag