CEBU CITY, Sept. 9 (PNA) — Immigration officials said the 69 foreigners, mostly Taiwanese nationals, arrested by police for online fraud in Cebu City Tuesday will face deportation proceedings, aside from criminal cases.
Bureau of Immigration (BI) 7 Alien Control Officer Casimiro Madarang III, who assisted the police in inspecting the passports and other documents of the foreigners, said the latter could face deportation.
He said the foreigners’ passports state that they are tourists, thus, are not allowed to engage in any business while in the Philippines.
He added that they are looking at violations of immigration laws, which is the basis for initiating deportation proceedings.
Police arrested the suspects in simultaneous raids at past 2 p.m. Tuesday in houses in Casals Village in Barangay Mabolo, Sunny Hills Subdivision in Barangay Talamban and in Sitio Tigbao, Talamban, all in Cebu City.
The police were armed with search warrants issued by Cebu City Regional Trial Court Branch 10 Judge Soliver Peras.
The suspects, who reportedly resorted to “blackmailing” compatriots back in their country through Voice over Internet Proptocol (VOIP)to force them to pay money, will face charges for violations of Republic Act No. 8484 or the Access Devices Regulation Act of 1998 and R.A. 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
R.A. 8484 regulates the issuance of access devices like credit cards, while R.A. 10175 punishes persons who commit computer-related offenses such as forgery, fraud and identity theft. (PNA)