THE Bureau of Immigration yesterday said the nine foreigners arrested recently at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport attempting to transport over P440 million in undeclared cash will face deportation proceedings, aside from possible criminal and anti-money laundering cases in local courts.
Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said they will face deportation proceedings for being undesirable.
“Immigration laws prohibit foreigners from engaging in activities that pose risks to national security. Once they face their criminal charges, these individuals will be deported and blacklisted from re-entering the Philippines,” Viado said.
The group arrested by the Philippine National Police-Aviation Security Group includes seven Chinese, one Indonesian and one Kazakh.
They were accompanied by two Filipinos who were also apprehended by airport security personnel and the police.
Viado said his office is also coordinating with the PNP to verify the records and documentation of the arrested foreigners.
“We are in close coordination with law enforcement agencies to monitor and arrest foreign nationals whose presence might be detrimental to the country’s interests,” the BI chief added.
Authorities earlier said they are checking the possibility that the money the group was about to transport was intended for poll-related “interference,” considering they were apprehended a few days before the May 12 national and local elections.
The PNP said one of the Chinese it identified as Wu Song is the subject of a red notice for fraud issued by the Interpol Criminal Police Organization.
Two other Chinese – Chen Hao and Li Fen – also have warrants of arrest for various offenses.
