Pasay City, Philippines – Authorities arrested a Chinese fugitive and five other foreign nationals during an anti-fraud operation in Pasay City, as the government steps up its drive against transnational crime and illegal activities involving foreign nationals in the Philippines.
According to a press release from the Bureau of Immigration (BI), published on its official website at immigration.gov.ph, the operation was carried out on the evening of May 6 along Roxas Boulevard Service Road in Barangay 13, Pasay City. The BI said the raid was led by its Fugitive Search Unit in coordination with Chinese authorities, the Philippine National Police-Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group, and the Philippine Air Force.
Main Target Wanted by Chinese Authorities
The BI identified the main suspect as a 34-year-old Chinese national who is being sought in China for allegedly hiding illegal financial proceeds. Immigration officials said the arrest followed a request for assistance sent through Philippine authorities, based on an active criminal detention warrant issued by Chinese law enforcement.
The operation forms part of ongoing efforts to track down foreign fugitives who may be using the Philippines as a base or temporary refuge while facing charges abroad.
Five Others Also Taken Into Custody
During the raid, BI agents also encountered five other Chinese nationals inside the property. Four of them, aged between 32 and 39, were allegedly found using computer workstations and electronic devices believed to be connected to online fraud activities.
Further verification showed that one of the five is also a fugitive wanted in China for fraud. Three others were found to have overstayed in the Philippines, according to immigration authorities.
A sixth individual, 47, was also apprehended after allegedly failing to present a valid passport or any immigration documents during inspection.
Immigration Cases Filed
The BI said all six individuals are now facing immigration cases. They are currently being held at the bureau’s facility in Taguig City while legal and administrative proceedings move forward.
BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said the bureau will continue going after foreign fugitives and organized groups involved in illegal operations in the country. He stressed that Philippine authorities are strengthening coordination with international law enforcement partners to locate, arrest, and deport those linked to fraud, cybercrime, and other unlawful acts.
The latest arrest highlights the government’s push to tighten enforcement against foreign nationals involved in criminal activity, especially those tied to fraud networks operating on Philippine soil. For overseas Filipinos monitoring safety and law enforcement developments back home, the case is another sign of broader efforts to crack down on cross-border crime.