THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) arrested two Chinese nationals in separate Cebu operations on Thursday, March 19, 2026, for alleged violations of Philippine immigration laws.
The first arrest took place in Colon St., Cebu City, where the BI detained Zunsheng Wu, a holder of a 9(g) pre-arranged employment visa, under Mission Order 2026-107.
Authorities said Wu was found to have breached the limitations and conditions of his stay by engaging in employment and business activities beyond the scope of his declared petitioner.
Investigations revealed that the suspect has been actively managing hardware and construction supply businesses in Cebu without the required Alien Employment Permit from the Department of Labor and Employment.
Under Philippine law, foreign nationals on a 9(g) visa are permitted to work only for the employer listed in their visa petition.
Unauthorized employment constitutes a violation of Section 37(a)(7) of Commonwealth Act 613 (Philippine Immigration Act of 1940), as amended, in relation to Sections 5 and 6 of Republic Act 562, or the Alien Registration Act of 1950.
Chinese-Filipino connections
In a separate operation, the BI apprehended Hongyou Zheng in Consolacion, Cebu, under Mission Order 2026-112.
Similar to Wu, Zheng holds a 9(g) pre-arranged employment visa. He was found working for a company other than the one declared in his visa records, reportedly operating small-scale scrap trading and retail businesses in Cebu.
Authorities said that Zheng has been using the Filipino-sounding name “Jerry Ty,” but official records under this name could not be found in BI or Land Transportation Office databases, raising concerns over identity usage.
Wu and Zheng, who have ties to Filipino-Chinese community organizations in Cebu, remain in BI custody as investigations continue.
Officials warn that such networks could have national security implications, citing historical links between some overseas Chinese organizations and China’s United Front Work system.
“Notably, it has been established that some overseas Chinese community organizations have historically formed part of the broader outreach activities associated with China’s United Front Work system, which aims to foster influence and relationships among overseas Chinese communities and organizations, presenting potential national security implications,” the BI said. / DPC