EDITORIAL - An ounce of prevention

Just recently the National Bureau of Investigation apprehended 79 Chinese nationals in a raid on a factory in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan. The bureau said at least 36 of them were undocumented, while 23 had tourist visas.

Considering the latest controversy with Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO’s) right now, it would seem people of various nationalities, and not just Chinese, consider the Philippines an easier place to hide in, carry on with their criminal activities, and perhaps even to transform themselves into completely new individuals. Perhaps even to run for public office after all traces are gone.

Last January three foreigners, a Chinese, a Japanese, and Taiwanese, were prevented from leaving the country after they were found out to have been involved in crimes or were being investigated for crimes in their native country or somewhere else.

Earlier this month a Korean was prevented from leaving the country after Immigration officials found out that he was a wanted man, something that they should have been able to determine when he arrived.

Even more recently an American fugitive, wanted for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in Texas, was arrested in Lapu-Lapu City. He has also been implicated in malicious mischief, fraud, theft, and other deceitful acts in Dumaguete City. He was undocumented, which is leading some people to scratch their heads as to how he ended up here from the US.

How are foreigners who shouldn’t be here able to enter our country? More importantly, how are they able to stay?

While we applaud Immigration officials for finding people who shouldn’t be here and kicking them out, we also cannot help that they should be doing more to keep out foreigners who shouldn’t be able to come here in the first place.

As the old adage goes: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. If we can keep undesirable aliens out then that will save us the time, manpower, and resources spent in having to locate, arrest, and deport them later on. We will have also prevented any criminal activity they might have had planned, which will likely victimize Filipinos.