BI deports more than 3,000 foreigners in 2020

Bureau of Immigration. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/ ALEXIS CORPUZ

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Tuesday said over 3,000 aliens were deported in 2020 for violations of the Philippine immigration laws.

According to BI Commissioner Jaime Morente, out of the total 3,219 aliens who were deported last year, 3,009 were Chinese. Meanwhile, around 60 deportees were Vietnamese, 40 Koreans, 25 Americans,  20 Japanese,12 Indians, and five Pakistanis.

“Some of them are wanted fugitives whose arrest and deportation was sought by governments of the countries where they have been charged or convicted for various crimes,” he added.

Most of the deportees were rounded up due to various violations such as working without a permit, involvement in unauthorized online gaming operations, telecommunications fraud, economic crimes, investment scams, and cybercrime activities.

“We have arrested big batches of aliens in the past years through joint operations of BI operatives with other local law enforcement agencies,” said Morente.

However, the BI chief said that due to the Covid-19 pandemic, there were lower deportees in 2020 compared to the 6,000 aliens who were sent out in 2019.

“This was a result of travel restrictions imposed by the government, wherein a very little number of aliens were able to enter the country,” he said.

As of December 22, 2020, there were 276 aliens still detained and awaiting deportation at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City.

JPV