AUTHORITIES have arrested four Chinese nationals for violation of the Philippine immigration and public documentation laws in separate law enforcement operations in Zamboanga Peninsula, the military said Saturday, April 18.
The 1st Infantry Division (1ID) identified the arrested Chinese as Lin Wenyu alias Anson Lais Lim, 52, male; Lin Weidong, 57, male; Xie Meiya, 54, female; and, Qiu Meiyu, 41, female.
The 1ID said all the four arrested foreigners were born in Fujian, a mountainous coastal province in Southeastern China.
The 1ID said Wenyu was arrested by joint operatives of the Bureau of Immigration (BI), military and police around 7:50 a.m. Thursday, April 16, at a hardware in Lower Taway village, Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay.
Wenyu had falsely claimed Philippine citizenship to secure government-issued identification cards and corporate documents, violating the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940 and the Revised Penal Code on falsification.
The authorities also confiscated illegally smuggled goods, including exotic animals, during Wenyu’s arrest.
Wenyu was turned over to the Ipil Municipal Police Station for proper documentation and disposition.
The 1ID said Weidong, Meiya, and Meiyu were arrested around 9 a.m. Tuesday, April 14, at a commercial establishment along Governor Camins Avenue, Camino Nuevo village, Zamboanga City.
The 1ID said the three arrested individuals were found to have violated Philippine immigration and public documentation laws and are liable for undesirability, having posed risks to public interest, national security, and public order.
Major General Yegor Rey Barroquillo Jr., 1ID commander, expressed his full support for the operations, commending the seamless coordination among the military intelligence community, BI, Joint Task Force (JTF)-Zampelan, and the police.
He emphasized that these decisive actions reflect the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ unwavering resolve to safeguard national security, preserve public order, and ensure that the rule of law is upheld across the Zamboanga Peninsula.
“These successive operations further demonstrate the AFP’s firm commitment to protecting the Filipino people and defending the integrity of the nation’s immigration system,” Barroquillo said in a statement.
He said the BI, police, partner agencies, and JTF-Zampelan remain united in its mission to hold foreign nationals engaged in illegal activities fully accountable under Philippine law. (SunStar Zamboanga)