Iranian brothers accused of robbery face deportation over expired visas

MANILA, Philippines—The Bureau of Immigration (BI) said Tuesday it had arrested three Iranian brothers who were previously detained for robbery by the police in January.

Immigration Commissioner Ricardo David Jr. identified the three as Amir, Mohammad and Reza Rahmati.

The brothers were taken to the BI detention facility in Bicutan, Taguig, following their arrest in Mandaluyong City on May 20.

This was after the bureau’s board of commissioners ordered the summary deportation of the Rahmatis, leading David to issue warrants for their arrest.

Records showed that the Iranians were arrested and detained by the Pasig police on Jan. 11 after another Iranian filed a complaint for robbery against them.

The alleged victim, Seyedreza Mousavi, told the police that he was driving his car on Ortigas Avenue on Jan. 10 when the brothers stopped him, held a knife to his neck and took his money worth P280,000.

Based on the information provided to the BI, the Rahmatis were released from jail after their case was referred to the inquest prosecutor.

The incident, however, made the BI intelligence division suspicious, prompting it to assign a team of operatives to investigate the Iranians, BI acting intelligence chief and spokesperson Ma. Antonette Mangrobang said.

The team’s findings showed that the brothers’ stay in the country was illegal since they were all holding expired visas.

“None of them bothered to [apply for an extension of their visas] after their stay expired, in blatant violation of our immigration laws,”  Mangrobang said.

She added that the Rahmatis would be deported should no case be filed against them in connection with Mousavi’s complaint.