7 Chinese fugitives deported

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has deported seven Chinese fugitives for allegedly engaging in online gaming and other illegal activities in the country.

In a report to Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente, BI port operations chief Grifton Medina said the Chinese were escorted to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport last week from the bureau’s detention facility at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig.

The Chinese left the country on two separate flights for Xiamen.

Medina said four of the fugitives are wanted in China for economic crimes. The others were deported for allegedly engaging in black sand mining in Zambales.

The Chinese were included in the BI blacklist and banned from rentering the Philippines.

The BI said three of the Chinese were among the 270 illegal foreign workers arrested recently by BI agents for operating an online investment scam in Pasig City, that victimized their compatriots.

Morente has ordered the BI to expedite the resolution of cases against foreigners to decongest the BI jail and prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019. Evelyn Macairan