Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 26) — The Bureau of Immigration said it deported 3,219 aliens for violating immigration laws last year, with over 3,000 of them Chinese nationals.
The bureau said the deportees were arrested for “working without permit, involvement in unauthorized online gaming operations, telecommunications fraud, economic crimes, investment scams, and cybercrime activities.”
“These violators will be automatically added to the government’s blacklist and are banned from re-entering the Philippines. Some of them are wanted fugitives whose arrest and deportation were sought by governments of the countries where they have been charged or convicted for various crimes,” added immigration commissioner Jaime Morente.
Last year’s number was lower compared to the over 6,000 deportees in 2019. The bureau cited the pandemic travel restrictions, which reduced the number of visitors entering the country.
Aside from the Chinese nationals, there were 60 Vietnamese, 40 Koreans, 25 Americans, 20 Japanese, 12 Indians, and five Pakistanis sent out. The bureau also said 276 foreigners are currently detained at its detention facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City awaiting deportation as of Dec. 22.
In October 2020, the bureau reported that nearly 2,000 Chinese nationals were ordered to leave the country for overstaying, mostly for violating the rule that visas upon arrival are good for only 30 days.
The controversial “visa upon arrival” policy allowed Chinese tourists to stay in the country for a month without the need to apply for a visa at Philippine consulates in their country. The government suspended the issuance of these visas in late January due to the threat of the coronavirus, which originated in Wuhan, China in Dec. 2019. It was later revealed, however, that approximately 112,000 visas upon arrival were issued to Chinese nationals from May 2019 to January 2020.
