Bureau of Immigration (BI) agents at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) have arrested a Chinese man wanted by authorities in Beijing for being a fugitive from justice.
Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco identified the passenger as 36-year-old Zhnag Xianfa, who was arrested last Feb. 14 at the immigration departure area of the NAIA terminal 3.
Tansingco said Zhang was supposed to board a Cebu Pacific flight to Guangzhou, China, when he was intercepted by BI officers who noticed that he is the BI’s database of aliens with existing derogatory records.
He was subsequently turned over to personnel of the BI’s border control and intelligence unit (BCIU), who then brought him to the BI detention facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City.
Tansingco said Zhang is just awaiting his flight to China as records show that he was already ordered deported by the BI board of commissioners in May 2023 for being an undesirable alien.
He is only one of 16 Chinese nationals whose deportation was sought by Chinese authorities due to crimes they allegedly committed in China. All the other 15 Chinese nationals were also ordered deported by the BI.
BI personnel intercept Chinese fugitive at NAIA
In ordering their summary deportation, the BI board ruled that “respondents violated the terms and conditions of their visa being fugitives from justice. Their presence in the Philippines poses a risk to public interest.”
Tansingco said Zhang will be sent back to Beijing as soon as the BI secures the required clearances for his deportation, adding that the Chinese national is already barred from re-entering the Philippines as a result of his inclusion in the immigration blacklist.
Meanwhile, Tansingco addressed a recent post on X (formerly Twitter) on immigration queues.
Tansingco clarified that despite the queues, passengers were speedily processed, and the area was empty in 40 minutes.
In the post, a netizen complained of long lines morning of February 19 after his flight landed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1.
Queues, Tansingco said, is expected as 8 flights carrying almost 1,800 total passengers arrived at the same time period.
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