80 foreign nationals arrested for unlicensed businesses

Bureau of Immigration building. Photo from Bureau of Immigration website

MANILA, Philippines—The Bureau of Immigration has arrested more than 80 foreign nationals engaged in business in Manila without the proper permits, Immigration Spokesperson Maan Pedro.

In a phone interview Friday, Pedro said aside from Chinese nationals, others arrested are from Korea and Singapore.

The arrests, she said, were a product of months of research and surveillance operations to confirm reports that some business operators in Divisoria, particularly in Tutuban, 168 and 888 malls do not have the proper work permits.

“Then a mission order was issued by (Immigration) chief (Siegfred) Mison,” she said.

Currently, the arrested Chinese nationals were taken by the Chinese Federation while the others were still being held at the Immigration Detention Center in Taguig.

“We are determining what violations should be filed against them,” she said.

Pedro added that the crackdown last Wednesday is not the last that they would be conducting.

“We want to warn the foreign nationals who want to or are doing business in the country should secure the proper permits and documents to avoid arrest,” Pedro said.