BI arrests Pakistani, Australian for illegal entry via ‘backdoor’

MANILA, Philippines—The Bureau of Immigration said on Sunday its agents had arrested a Pakistani and an Australian for illegally entering the Philippines via the so-called southern backdoor.

Immigration Commissioner Ricardo David Jr. said the alleged illegal aliens, Gul Hussain and Steven Nicol Herbert, were arrested separately by BI intelligence operatives at their residences in Zamboanga City.

The two are currently detained at the Bicutan immigration jail in Taguig City pending deportation proceedings

David, in a statement, said he issued mission orders for the two foreigners’ arrest after residents informed the BI about their presence in Zamboanga.

“I have directed our intelligence operatives in the South to conduct further surveillance operations of aliens suspected of entering the country via the backdoor,” the BI chief said.

Lawyer Maria Antonette Mangrobang, BI acting intelligence chief, said Herbert arrived at the port of Bongao, Tawi-Tawi, from Sampona, Malaysia, on Oct. 1, 2011.

Investigation revealed that the Australian was blacklisted by the BI in March 2011 when he was ordered to leave the country for failure to pay his extension fees due to financial distress.

He, however, managed to re-enter the country despite his derogatory record by slipping through the Bongao port.

As for Hussain, Mangrobang said the Pakistani refused to divulge how he entered the country and was not able to produce any travel documents.

“It is evident that he entered the country without any visa and without passing inspection by immigration authorities,” the BI official said.

She added that the aliens would be expelled upon the issuance by the BI board of commissioners of the order to summarily deport them.