Immigration authorities raided a beachfront restaurant in Station 2, Boracay, on Monday, September 22, arresting two Chinese nationals for allegedly working and managing the business without proper permits.
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) said its Intelligence Division–Regional Intelligence Operations Unit 6 led the operation in coordination with the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine Navy, and the Malay Police Station.
The arrested individuals, Zhang Ke, 34, and Li Jun, 40, were found violating immigration laws. Zhang operated the restaurant while holding only an employment visa tied to a Makati-based company. Li, on the other hand, worked inside the kitchen without valid documents, classifying him as an undocumented alien.
Authorities flew both to Manila on September 23 for booking before transferring them to the BI detention facility in Taguig City. Deportation proceedings are underway, BI said.
BI added that they have stepped up their enforcement operations in Boracay after repeated reports of foreigners working illegally in tourist-oriented businesses, warning that such activities undermine local employment and violate immigration policies.
The agency emphasized its ongoing commitment to ensure that all foreign nationals in the Philippines comply with immigration laws and to protect the integrity of the country’s borders.*
Reymund Titong is a Filipino journalist steadily building his voice in the field of news reporting, driven by a commitment to tell meaningful and relevant stories.
He serves as a correspondent for Rappler, maintains a personal blog on Medium, and is the communications officer of Hope Builders Organization Negros Island.