3 Chinese nationals intercepted at NAIA for alleged pickpocketing

MANILA, Philippines — Three Chinese nationals were intercepted by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) for alleged pickpocketing activities.

Lyu Shuiming, 48; Xu Xianpu, 41; and Xie Xiaoyong, 54 were reported to BI officers at NAIA Terminal 1 last Sept. 15 after being found to have stolen a handbag on a Philippine Airlines flight from Kuala Lumpur, according to BI officer-in-charge Joel Anthony Viado.

“We will not allow these kinds of foreigners to victimize our kababayan,” Viado said in a statement on Wednesday.

Viado said they were caught in the act by a flight attendant while allegedly stealing a handbag and around P63,000 in cash from a Filipina traveler.

“He was said to have opened the overhead stowage bin to retrieve the bag owned by the judge,” Viado also said. “He was found by the airline personnel rummaging through the judge’s personal belongings, taking valuables he found inside.”

The suspects were only transiting the Philippines from Malaysia to Hong Kong.

Lyu, who had a valid visa to enter the country, was arrested by authorities while Xu and Xie boarded an outbound flight.

The trio was recommended for inclusion in BI’s blacklist. — EJ Abris, INQUIRER.net trainee

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