The Bureau of Immigration (BI) in the Philippines is continuing its crackdown on illegal immigration into the country with the blacklisting of some 459 foreign individuals. The foreigners are apparently tied to recently raided ‘bogus’ firms that sponsored their entries into the country and any persons already in the Philippines now face deportation.
The BI announced in a recent press briefing that irregularities were discovered during an audit of its Verification and Compliance Division (VCD), with at least 79 accredited liaison officers facing investigations by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). The audits came after local law enforcement raided a number of companies tied to POGOs that police say were scam hubs and prostitution dens.
To live and work in the country legally, foreigners have to be petitioned by a legitimate company to ensure adherence with local laws and payment of appropriate fees and taxes, something the illegitimate companies seemingly failed to do. Any foreign individuals already in the country and tied to such invalid visas now face deportation and any who have not yet entered the country will be prevented from doing so.
The Bureau of Immigration is also working with the Department of Justice (DOJ) in the investigation, which comes on the back of numerous other raids targeting companies the government says are involved in illegal activities.
