(Photo of the Immigration Bureau)
According to the Bureau of Immigration (BI), the Malaysian, named Hii Kien Tong, was intercepted by their personnel at the Zamboanga International Seaport (ZIS) on October 16, 2024, while boarding the ship M/V Antonio 1 bound for Sandakan, Malaysia.
Hii has been on the BI's blacklist of foreign nationals since December 27, 2022, due to illegal work at an online gaming hub whose license to operate has been revoked.
It was also observed that his passport lacked an immigration arrival stamp.
"We suspect that despite his being barred from entering the country last year, he managed to re-enter the country illegally," said Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado.
Along with this, Viado praised the BI personnel assigned to the Zamboanga Port who intercepted Hii.
The Malaysian has been taken to the BI Detention Facility at Camp Bagong Diwa, Bicutan, Taguig City, where he will remain while paperwork for his deportation is being processed.
