TACLOBAN CITY — The Police Regional Office 8 (PRO-8) has clarified that it properly coordinated with the Bureau of Immigration (BI) in the operation that resulted in the arrest of 12 Chinese nationals in Tacloban City, denying claims of an intelligence lapse or police inaction.
In a statement, PRO-8 said the Tacloban City Police Office (TCPO) first conducted surveillance after receiving reports about the suspicious activities of several foreign nationals in the area. Upon verification, TCPO immediately referred the matter to the Bureau of Immigration, the agency with the sole authority to verify and enforce immigration laws.
The BI later confirmed that the 12 Chinese nationals had violated the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940 for misrepresentation and were also charged under the Alien Registration Act of 1950 (Republic Act 562).
PRO-8 further explained that police personnel assigned at nearby checkpoints could not have lawfully apprehended the foreign nationals without clear evidence of a crime, as doing so would have been considered an overreach of police authority and a violation of human rights protocols.
The regional office also clarified that the arrested foreigners were employees of an internet service provider and not connected to any Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO). Intelligence monitoring, it added, has so far found no evidence of POGO-related operations in Eastern Visayas.
PRO-8 underscored that the police followed due process and maintained close coordination with concerned national agencies throughout the operation to ensure legality and transparency.
“The PNP remains committed to upholding the rule of law while protecting the rights of all individuals within its jurisdiction,” the statement said.
The Chinese nationals were arrested on Oct. 15 inside their office at Ocean Wave in Brgy.95-A, Caibaan, this city.
The arrested individuals were identified as officials and employees of Ocean Wave Communications (Philippines) Corp., also known as Hailang Communications (Philippines) Company, an internet service provider operating in Tacloban City and nearby areas, including Palo, Leyte.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
