JOINT operatives from the Bureau of Immigration (BI) XI and the 10th Infantry Division apprehended 24 Chinese nationals for various immigration and labor violations during an enforcement operation on Monday, May 25.
The sweep, conducted at Purok 4, Barangay New Little Panay, stemmed from verified intelligence reports pointing to the presence of foreign nationals allegedly engaged in unauthorized employment under highly questionable immigration documents.
Initial verification procedures covered 27 Chinese nationals, but investigators subsequently found 24 of them in direct violation of Commonwealth Act No. 613, also known as the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940.
According to authorities, the violations committed by the foreign workers included misrepresentation, overstaying, and working without the mandatory visas or employment permits.
The joint operative team also uncovered that several of the apprehended individuals were working for a company entirely different from the entity that originally petitioned for their corporate visas. Others were caught engaging in gainful, local employment despite holding only standard tourist visas.
The 24 apprehended foreign nationals are currently detained at the compound of the company they work for in Barangay New Little Panay for initial processing, biometric registration, and formal documentation by immigration authorities.
The BI XI led the operation as part of the national government’s broad, intensified crackdown against illegal employment and immigration breaches involving foreign syndicates and workers in the Davao Region.
Major General Alvin Luzon, commander of the 10th Infantry Division, underscored the critical role of inter-agency intelligence sharing and tactical cooperation in protecting national interests.
“This successful operation reflects the strong coordination among government agencies in addressing unlawful activities involving foreign nationals,” Luzon said in a statement. “The 10ID remains committed to supporting lawful enforcement operations to ensure public safety and protect national interests within our area of operation.”
Follow-up investigations and documentation procedures are currently underway to determine the full scale of the operation and to identify any local or foreign facilitators involved in the illegal employment scheme.
