Bureau of Immigration (BI) agents have arrested seven illegal aliens in Clark Field, Angeles City as part of its nationwide audit or census of foreigners staying in the country.
Commissioner Ricardo David Jr. said the aliens were apprehended last July 5 in an operation conducted by some 30 operatives from the bureau’s intelligence division.
David said those apprehended were among the 92 mostly Indian and Korean nationals who were invited by the operatives for verification of immigration status.
He added that the aliens were served with mission orders at their residences and establishments and brought to the nearest BI field office in Clark for document and status verification.
He again reminded all illegal aliens to legalize their status by updating their stay and apply for the appropriate visa.
The BI chief said the census was conceived in view of reports that many aliens who arrived as tourists were now overstaying and were engaged in various activities and occupations without bothering to secure the required permits and visa from the bureau.
Lawyer Ma. Antonette Mangrobang, BI acting intelligence chief, said that of the seven detained aliens, five were undocumented, one held a fraudulent immigration document and the seventh was a fugitive.
The undocumented aliens included three Koreans and two Indians while the fugitive was a Marshall Island national and the holder of spurious document was a Korean.
Of the 92 aliens whose status was verified in the operation, 65 were released for being documented.
Also released were 18 Indian nationals, but Mangrobang said they were issued notices to appear at the BI and comply with certain immigration requirements.
One of those detained, Yong Yeal Yu, a Marshall Island national, had been issued a summary deportation order by the BI 10 years ago.
Yu, who is wanted for overstaying and large-scale estafa, disappeared in 2002 after escaping from the BI jail in Bicutan, Taguig.