42 aliens charged over kidnapping of casino high rollers

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has ordered the filing of charges for violation of immigration laws against the 42 Chinese and two Malaysians recently arrested for involvement in the kidnapping of high rollers in Philippine casinos.

In a statement, Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said the bureau’s legal division would initiate deportation proceedings by charging the suspects with being undesirable aliens and violating the conditions of their stay as tourists.

BI legal chief Arvin Santos had already ordered the agency’s prosecutors to issue subpoenas to the foreigners so they could be brought to his office for investigation and filing of charges, Morente said. —Jerome Aning