THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) said it has arrested and detained a Chinese woman for illegally entering the country, by evading inspection by immigration officers at the port of entry.
Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco identified the alleged illegal entrant as 23-year-old Zhang Zimo, who was apprehended at the NAIA Terminal 3 last June 15 as she was about to board a China Southern Airlines flight to Guangzhou, China.
Tansingco said Zhang was denied departure clearance after the immigration officer who examined her passport noticed that it has no BI arrival stamp. A check of the BI’s Travel Control System also yielded no record of Zhang’s arrival.
She was immediately arrested and committed to the BI Warden Facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City pending deportation proceedings.
“It is a blatant offense for any foreigner to enter the country without inspection and admission by immigration authorities, or obtains entry into the Philippines by willful, false or misleading representation,” Tansingco stressed.
He added that the Bureau was still investigating when, where and how Zhang managed to enter the country without an entry visa, and without undergoing immigration inspection.
“I have ordered a thorough investigation of the incident, to pinpoint who is liable for this incident,” Tansingco said.
