MANILA – The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has initiated deportation proceedings against 29 foreigners caught operating an illegal online gaming facility in Cavite.
In a statement Thursday, BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said the foreign workers were arrested Wednesday during a raid in a private resort and events place in Silang town.
Viado also directed prosecutors from the BI Legal Division to conduct a preliminary investigation of the 23 Chinese and six Myanmar nationals.
“Thereafter, the aliens will be charged with immigration violation cases before the BI board of commissioners which will issue the orders for their deportation and their inclusion in our blacklist, effectively banning them from re-entering the country,” the BI chief said.
Law enforcers caught the foreigners working at various PC work stations that were used for their online gaming operations.
“Physical custody of these foreigners will be with the PAOCC (Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission) but they will be under the legal custody of the BI due to ongoing deportation proceedings,” Viado said.
At the same time, the bureau is studying the filing of a case of harboring illegal aliens against the renters of the resort.
“If during our investigation, we discover that they have knowingly harbored these illegal workers, then they will face cases for violation of the Philippine immigration law,” Viado said.
Section 46 of the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940 prohibits the harboring of illegal aliens. Violators may face up to 10 years in prison.
Viado said the arresting team encountered the illegal foreign workers during an operation to capture a Chinese fugitive who was suspected to be hiding in the resort, but the latter was not around when the raid took place. (PNA)