15 foreigners deported as BI decongests Bicutan jail

MANILA, Philippines - Fifteen foreigners had been deported last August as part of the government’s move to decongest the Immigration detention cell in Bicutan, Taguig City. Immigration Commissioner Marcelino Libanan said among those deported were the nine Vietnamese fishermen who were arrested last year for poaching on Philippine waters. The others sent back to their country of origin for various violations in Philippine immigration law were two Liberians, two Chinese, one Korean and an Indian. Libanan said the bureau is fast-tracking the deportation of any foreign detainee who no longer has a pending case and whose deportation order is already final and executory to decongest the Bicutan detention center. At present, there are only 77 foreigners detained now at the Bicutan detention center. Last year it had 160. A deportation unit has been formed to oversee and implement the deportation of the detainees, Libanan said. - GMANews.TV