BI orders crackdown vs syndicates run by aliens

Bureau of Immigration Commissioner Marcelino Libanan ordered a crackdown last week on criminal syndicates supposedly being operated by foreign nationals in the country following the recent arrest of an Indian allegedly involved in kidnapping fellow nationals in Central Luzon.

Libanan believes that the arrest of Indian Surinder Singh, believed to be the mastermind in the kidnapping of Indian nationals in Pampanga, by operatives of the bureau’s law enforcement division on March 6 in Angeles City was enough to prove there are criminal syndicates being run by aliens here.

“This arrest is reason enough to check on the existence of crime groups operated by foreigners in our country. We already ordered our men to find out the extent of operations of these syndicates,” he said.

The BI chief said the arrest was also a result of the bureau’s successful coordination with other law enforcement agencies in running after foreign criminal syndicates.

“The BI will not allow these foreign criminal groups to thrive and continue their despicable activities in our country. We will use the full force of the law to make sure that these foreign felons are driven out of the country,” Libanan warned.

Libanan ordered Singh’s arrest after he was implicated in the kidnapping activities by one of his accomplices, who was earlier arrested by BI-led operatives.

Sukhdev Singh Bhangu, who was nabbed recently in Bataan, had executed a sworn affidavit identifying Singh and two other Indians as the masterminds of the syndicate that preys on Indians in Central Luzon.

The syndicate, which also has Filipino members, allegedly abducts the victims and frees them after payment of ransom.

Bhangu said his participation in the gang is limited to pinpointing prospective victims because of his work as a priest in the Indian religious community.

He pointed to Singh and two other suspects, whose names were withheld, as the gang leaders responsible for carrying out the kidnapping activities.