The Philippines has seemingly emerged as a magnet for foreign fugitives, a fact underscored by the latest government data.

According to a statement released by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Sunday, a total of 128 foreign fugitives were apprehended in the country in 2023, marking a concerning trend.

The BI’s Fugitive Search Unit (FSU) spearheaded these operations, reflecting the government’s unwavering commitment to cracking down on criminal elements seeking refuge within its borders.

South Koreans dominated the list of apprehended fugitives, with 39 individuals facing charges.

Following closely were 25 Chinese nationals, 15 Vietnamese, 12 Taiwanese, 11 Americans, and 8 Japanese, highlighting the diverse range of foreign nationals involved in criminal activities within the country, PhilStar reported.

The offenses committed by these fugitives were varied and included economic crimes, investment scams, illegal gambling, money laundering, telecommunications fraud, robbery, and smuggling.

The gravity of their actions prompted BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco to declare unequivocally, “Our country is off limits to these foreign fugitives. They are not welcome here, and there will be no letup in our campaign to hunt and deport them so they could be tried for the criminal cases that were filed against them.”

The arrests were the culmination of a series of targeted operations carried out by the FSU agents nationwide, working in tandem with foreign law enforcement counterparts.

A significant arrest occurred in March, where Manpreet Singh and his associates, identified as members of the extremist group Khalistan Tiger Force in India, were apprehended, as reported by GMA News.

Similarly, in January, March, and April, noteworthy captures involved Risa Yamada, Fujita Kairi, and Sato Shohei, respectively.

These individuals were associated with the infamous “Luffy” syndicate and were implicated in a series of robberies and telephone fraud cases throughout Japan.

The BI has taken swift action against the apprehended fugitives, with most of them already deported and facing penalties commensurate with their crimes.

Commissioner Tansingco emphasized that all arrested fugitives have been placed on the immigration blacklist of undesirable aliens, ensuring they are perpetually barred from re-entry into the Philippines.