Chinese retiree nabbed for fake documents
A Chinese national was arrested for faking his identity and for illegal business operations in Camarines Norte, according to the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC).
In a statement Thursday, PAOCC said foreigner Zhishi Huo Wu, who is also known for his alias Edison Verano Go, was arrested by authorities at his department store along Vinzons Avenue in Daet town on June 25.
Armed with a mission order, the PAOCC, the Bureau of Immigration, the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines, made the arrest against Wu based on “a series of serious infractions, including misrepresentation, falsification of official documents, and the operation of unauthorized business activities within the Philippines.”
The PAOOC said Wu first entered the Philippines as a tourist on June 1, 2007, then obtained a work visa in 2010 and a Special Resident Retiree’s Visa (SRRV) in 2013.
Holders of an SRRV, according to PAOCC, can start a business in the Philippines, “but they must obtain the proper work authorization and comply with foreign investment rules.”
Based on initial investigations and multiple surveillance efforts, Wu owns two department stores- the 101 Department Store and NEWONE Department Store, both in Daet town.
“To avoid legal restrictions tied to his visa status, he registered his businesses under two different names: Analyn Raro Overa and Alex Dela Cruz,” PAOCC said.
More cases
Further investigations by authorities revealed that in 2017, the Chinese national fraudulently registered himself with the Philippine Statistics Authority as a Filipino citizen under the alias Edison Verano Go.
This fake identity, according to PAOCC, enabled him to obtain various official clearances and IDs from multiple government agencies, including the Bureau of Internal Revenue, PhilHealth, PNP and the Land Transportation Office for his driver’s license, “all without any legitimate documentation.”
“Particularly alarming is the revelation that Zhishi Huo Wu utilized these forged documents to obtain a License to Own and Possess Firearms, which is valid until Nov. 3, 2034,” it said.
PAOCC said that during the arrest, authorities discovered that he was in possession of a CZ Shadow 2 firearm, with serial number SN H103361.
