4 Chinese giving legit PH IDs to compatriots nabbed
Four Chinese men have been arrested in Palawan for allegedly running a syndicate that illegally acquires government-issued identification documents for Chinese nationals pretending to be Filipinos. The Bureau of Immigration (BI) announced Monday that the four suspects, including the alleged gang leader, were arrested in Barangay San Pedro in Puerto Princesa City on March 19. The suspected leader was identified as Lyu Zhiyang who uses the alias Ken Garcia Lee.
Also arrested were Wang Tao, Li Xiaoming and Guo Zhi Yang. Several Philippine government-issued ID documents such as birth certificates, drivers’ licenses and postal IDs were reportedly seized from them during the operation jointly conducted by the BI, Philippine Navy Naval Forces West, Armed Forces of the Philippines and National Intelligence Coordinating Agency. In a statement, BI intelligence division chief Fortunato Manahan Jr. said the syndicate provided illegally obtained government IDs and documents to undesirable aliens and trafficking victims.
The four Chinese suspects will be charged with misrepresentation and undesirability under the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940. During a Senate hearing in November, the Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed that foreign nationals were able to obtain Philippine passports by presenting legitimate birth certificates and government-issued identification cards.
The BI said last year, immigration officers arrested at least 10 foreign nationals who tried to pass themselves off as Filipinos while presenting authentic Philippine passports. “These foreign nationals use Philippine documents to avoid inspection, buy property, or even interfere in politics,” Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco said in a statement. —DONA Z. PAZZIBUGAN
