The Philippines is set to kick 1,318 Chinese nationals out of the country for their involvement in illegal online gambling business.
The Philippine Daily Inquirer reported that the Bureau of Immigration is preparing to deport the Chinese nationals after confirming that they have violated immigration laws, including going beyond their authorized period of stay in the country and violating the conditions of their visas.
“The 1,318 Chinese will be charged for overstaying, working in violation of the limitations and conditions of their visa, and engaging in an unlicensed online gaming business,” BI spokesperson Tonette Mangrobang said, according to the news report.
Mangrobang pointed out that some of the arrested Chinese nationals entered the Philippines as tourists.
“It appears that they legally entered the country but failed to legalize their stay here. They entered as tourists,” the BI spokesperson said.
The Philippines immigration bureau last week detained thousands of Chinese nationals working in call center-like facilities suspected of running online gambling operations at a facility at the Fontana Leisure Park, inside Clark Field, Pampanga.
The detentions marked the government’s biggest such round-up of Chinese nationals in the country, many thought to be working there illegally.
It was still unclear as to who owned the online gambling firm where the foreigners worked and how long it has been operating.
Meanwhile, Reuters reported that the arrest of the Chinese nationals during a crackdown on online gambling has alarmed China and has put a strain to the Philippine-China ties that have warmed in recent months.
“At the same time, China expresses concern over the large number of Chinese citizens detained by the Philippines,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said.
Geng said the Chinese government had requested for the immediate release of the foreigners who have “legal identification.”
At the same time, Geng reminded its citizens who travel abroad to abide by local laws.
