The Bureau of Immigration (BI) said its operatives arrested an Indonesian man wanted by authorities in Jakarta for involvement in human trafficking.
In a statement, Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco identified the captured fugitive as 43-year-old Aris Wahyudi a.k.a. Romeo, who was arrested on Tuesday along Salcedo Street, Legaspi Village, Makati City by members of the BI’s fugitive search unit (FSU).
Tansingco said he issued a mission order for Wahyudi’s arrest after receiving information from the Indonesian government which sought his deportation so he could stand trial for crimes he allegedly committed in his country.
It was learned that Wahyudi is subject of an arrest warrant issued by the Indonesian national police last Jan. 18 for allegedly committing the crime of trafficking in persons.
He was specifically charged for violating a provision in Indonesia’s Eradication of the Crime of Trafficking in Persons law that aims to provide protection to Indonesia’s migrant workers.
Authorities alleged that Wahyudi operated a human trafficking syndicate that illegally recruited and financed Indonesian nationals who were trafficked to work in Cambodia without the proper work permits.
Indonesian wanted for human trafficking arrested
Tansingco said Wahyudi will be deported as soon as the BI board of commissioners issues the order for his summary deportation.
“As a foreigner accused of human trafficking, his presence here poses a serious risk to our poor countrymen who might also fall prey to his illegal scheme,” the BI chief said
He added that Indonesian will be deported for being an undesirable and undocumented alien as his passport already expired in August 2023.
Wahyudi was committed to the BI warden facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig pending deportation proceedings.
Meanwhile, BI successfully deported 43 Chinese nationals on Thursday.
The said Chinese nationals were part of the more than 100 foreign nationals previously arrested by the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime (PAOCC) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) Women and Children Protection Center (WCPC), after implementing a search warrant issued by the Makati Regional Trial Court for alleged violation of RA 9208 and RA 10364 or the Anti Trafficking in Persons Act along F.B. Harrison St. in Pasay City.
Visit our Facebook page for more news updates.