In line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to tighten border security and restrain illegal migration, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) confirmed the arrest of a 69-year-old Taiwanese national in Baguio City for illegally entering the Philippines.

The foreigner, identified as Cheng Chin-Pang, was apprehended on September 25 along Sto. Tomas Road, Green Valley, Dontogan, by operatives of the Regional Intelligence Operations Unit–Cordillera Administrative Region (RIOU-CAR), in coordination with local police and other law enforcement agencies.

According to initial reports, Cheng admitted that he slipped into the country last year through the “backdoor” route via Tawi-Tawi. Authorities said he boarded a boat from Malaysia and traveled to Manila without undergoing proper immigration inspection.

Cheng was arrested for violation of the Philippine Immigration Act as an illegal entrant. He was immediately brought to the BI Main Office in Manila for booking, medical examination, and biometrics, before being committed to the BI Warden Facility in Taguig, where he awaits deportation proceedings.

BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado stressed that the arrest reflects the government’s firm stance on border security.

“The Bureau of Immigration remains firm in protecting the country’s borders,” Viado said.

“Foreign nationals who sneak into the Philippines without proper documentation will be arrested, deported, and barred from returning. This is part of our duty to uphold national security and safeguard our immigration system.”

The BI also warned foreign nationals against resorting to illegal entry methods, underscoring that strict enforcement operations are being carried out nationwide in line with the President’s directive.