BI nabs Chinese national in Pasay

THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) has apprehended a Chinese national suspected of orchestrating large-scale online scams in a joint operation conducted in Pasay City.

In a statement on Monday, the BI’s fugitive search unit said the operation took place on the evening of Nov. 4 at Central Park Condominium on D. Jorge Street. The 33-year-old suspect is accused of online fraud and phishing activities targeting both local and international victims.

The arrest followed a formal request from the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) after intelligence linked the Chinese national to ongoing cyber-financial scams. Authorities said he operated under a “work-from-home” setup and had prior involvement with a Makati-based scam hub dismantled earlier this year.

According to BI, multiple laptops were reportedly used in his fraudulent operations. Immigration records show he arrived in the Philippines in 2019 on a temporary visitor visa. His last visa extension lapsed in 2022, making him an overstaying alien, and he is listed under a 2023 Blacklist Order.

BI Commissioner Joel Anthony M. Viado said the coordination with partner agencies underscores the government’s commitment to cracking down online fraud and protecting the public from financial exploitation. “Foreign nationals who engage in these criminal schemes or violate immigration laws will be arrested, prosecuted, and removed from the country,” Mr. Viado added.

The arrested individual is now in custody of the BI warden facility, pending deportation proceedings. — Erika Mae P. Sinaking