On January 11th, Bureau of Immigration of the Philippines officers detained Chinese national Li Xuyanzun, who attempted to leave the country with a fake work visa. The suspect was intercepted at Ninoy Aquino International Airport when he was set to board a Philippine Airlines flight to China's city of Cuanjiang. Bureau of Immigration Commissioner Joel Montealto noted that Li was a result of a regular check by immigration officers, who spotted the signs of violation in the automated verification system. This warning indicated that Li was wanted due to the unlawful issuance of a work visa.
"We barred him for violating the laws of the country, as he procured his visa through illegal means, not corresponding to the standard procedures," Montealto reported. After Li's detention, he was turned over to the Bureau of Immigration’s enforcement and removal operations, and then sent to the Bureau of Immigration detention facility in Taguig, where he will remain during the deportation process.
Investigations revealed that Li's work visa was canceled by the Bureau of Immigration in 2023 after it became known that he acquired it through a fictitious employer. The Bureau indicated that checks in the Palace for valuable documents and the Ministry of Trade confirmed that the company supposedly sponsoring Li's visa does not exist. As a result, Li was placed on the Bureau of Immigration's blacklist, effectively barring his return to the Philippines.
