THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) said its intelligence operatives recently arrested in Iloilo and Antique 16 illegal Indian nationals for working in the country without permits and for being undocumented aliens.

Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco said the Indians were rounded up in a string of arrests conducted by operatives from the BI intelligence division based in Western Visayas last February 22.

Tansingco said he issued mission orders authorizing the BI agents to conduct the operations following reports received by his office about the alleged increasing presence of illegal Indian nationals in Iloilo and where many residents are allegedly victimized by the aliens’ usurious 5-6 lending racket.

The BI chief said the operations signal the start of an intensified drive against illegal aliens outside of Metro Manila.

“We are intensifying our crackdown against illegal aliens throughout the country, including those who live in the far-flung areas and make a living by engaging in illegal lending activities that prey on our poor countrymen,” Tansingco said.

BI-Region 6 intelligence head Jude Hinolan, who led the arresting teams, said 10 of the Indians were apprehended in the towns of Arevalo and Savana in Iloilo while the six others were arrested in San Jose, Antique.

“Our investigation found that all of them were engaged in lending activities without the proper work permits while some of them are suspected of being illegal entrants for failure to present travel documents,” Hinolan said in his report to BI intelligence chief Fortunato Manahan Jr..

The arrested illegal aliens were detained at the BI warden facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City pending their deportation.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Jun I. Legaspi