BI warns foreigners vs. ‘inspections’ in entertainment hubs

The areas include bars, karaoke hubs, music houses, golf clubs, bowling alleys, internet cafes, amusement parks, casinos, hotels, guest houses, and restaurants to search for illegal aliens. (File Photo by Elmer B. Domingo – Own work/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

MANILA – The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Monday warned foreigners against purported operations orders presented by individuals posing as its personnel to inspect entertainment places for undocumented and overstaying foreigners.

Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco issued the warning following the order’s circulation in various social media chat groups.

He said the bureau has not issued the order titled “Checking overstaying and illegal employment in various entertainment places”.

The fake directive reportedly instructs immigration personnel to inspect entertainment places in Manila.

The areas include bars, karaoke hubs, music houses, golf clubs, bowling alleys, internet cafes, amusement parks, casinos, hotels, guest houses, and restaurants to search for illegal aliens.

“No such order has been issued by the BI. Our operatives are not authorized to randomly inspect establishments but instead are required to secure a mission order to conduct an arrest” the BI chief added.

Tansingco noted that a mission order is only issued “upon thorough investigation and confirmation that the subject foreign national has indeed violated immigration laws.”

He believes that the fake order is being used by syndicates that scare foreigners in the country to scam them.

He then urged foreigners to immediately report such an incident to law enforcement agencies.