4 foreigners arrested in Bulacan, reportedly with Chinese diplomatic passports

By Nancy Carvajal

Bilyonaryo has learned that four of the 79 Chinese nationals arrested on July 18 during a raid on a pipe factory in San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan, are holding Chinese diplomatic passports.

According to a spokesperson for the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Chinese embassy officials in Manila are providing assistance to the arrested Chinese nationals.

“Unlike previous arrests of Chinese nationals in the Philippines, Chinese embassy officials have reportedly activated a defense mechanism and are actively involved in looking after the welfare of the arrested foreigners,” the Babbler said.

In a statement, the NBI said 36 of the detained Chinese nationals were undocumented, while 23 had tourist visas.

An initial investigation by the NBI revealed that the Chinese nationals were hired to work for Shanxi Hydraulic Engineering Construction, a manufacturer of pipes for water concessionaires.

The arrested Chinese nationals may face charges for allegedly violating Philippine immigration laws after failing to obtain necessary work permits.

The Marcos government has cracked down on illegal offshore gambling companies over the past year for their involvement in criminal activities.