The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has reported the issuance of exclusion orders against the seven Chinese crew members of a distressed fishing vessel in the waters off Eastern Samar.
Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco confirmed that the crew found in fishing vessel Kai Da 899 are wanted by Chinese police for criminal offenses, as relayed by Chinese authorities.
The aliens were identified as Tang Rixin (alias Tong Yat Sun), 63; Mai Bolin (alias Mak Pak Lam), 55; Chen Zhewei, 48; He Chengjun, 41; Liu Jianping, 36; Shi Junning, 52; and Lei Dengzai, 34. Rixin and Bolin are Hong Kong nationals while the rest are from mainland China.
The crew members failed to provide proper documents and after further investigation, it was found out that the fishing vessel was a supply boat contrary to what was initially reported.
According to Tansingco, the foreigners were denied entry considering that they were found in Philippine territory with intention to circumvent immigration arrival formalities.
“Their presence in the country as fugitives from justice poses a risk to public interest. We have included their names in the BI’s blacklist, effectively barring them from re-entering the country,” Tansingco added.
The seven illegal entrants were escorted by BI intelligence officers via Philippine Airlines flight PR382 from Manila back to Guangzhou, China on Wednesday, April 6. (JERRY S. TAN)
