Immigration Commissioner Ricardo David Jr. disclosed that aliens were apprehended in various operations conducted by agents from the bureau’s intelligence division and fugitive search unit (FSU).

 

            He noted that aliens arrested in 2011 outnumbered the 94 foreigners nabbed by BI operatives in 2010.

 

            David said the operations were carried out on the strength of mission orders that he issued after investigation found that they were illegally staying or hiding in the country.

 

            “There will be no letup in our drive against illegal aliens.  We should not allow any foreigner to defy our immigration laws and wanted foreign criminals to use our country as refuge,” the BI chief declared.

 

            David said that of the 153 aliens arrested, 99 were charged with various immigration offenses while the remaining 51 were fugitives who hid in the country to evade prosecution for crimes committed in their homelands.

 

            Atty. Ma. Antonette Mangrobang, BI acting intelligence chief, said most of the arrested aliens were already deported to their country of origin.

 

“They are now barred from re-entering our country as a result of their inclusion in our blacklist of undesirable aliens,” Mangrobang said.

 

A check with the BI intelligence division revealed that apart from the fugitives, the 99 others were arrested for various immigration offenses such as working without permit, overstaying, illegal entry, and not having proper documents.

 

Fourty-four Koreans topped the list, followed by 24 Americans, 21 Indians, 13 Chinese, 11 Japanese, six Germans, five Taiwanese, four Britons, three Liberians, two Nigerians, two Pakistanis, two Britons, two Germans, two Australians, two Norwegians, two Malaysians, and two Somalians.

 

Also in the list is a Sri Lankan, a Bangaladeshi, a Swiss, a Vietnamese, a Cambodian, a French, a New Zealander, an Australian, a Syrian, a Slovenian, and an Ivory Coast national ###