QUEZON — Authorities arrested 42 foreign nationals in an operation led by the Bureau of Immigration at a beach resort in Barangay Villa Norte, Alabat, Quezon province Wednesday morning.

Joint forces of the BI, Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission, and Calabarzon police conducted the operation based on a mission order under Executive Order 287, series of 2000, or Mission Orders for Verification and Investigation of Suspected Illegal Aliens.

Authorities received information about foreigners allegedly working on the island without proper documentation. The suspects failed to present valid documents — including their passports. They claimed they were still in the process of applying for work visas. “Wala silang documents para makarating d’yan sa island ng Alabat. Importante na ma-preempt natin ‘yung gagawin nila,” said Police Regional Director Brig. Gen. Paul Kenneth Lucas.

The foreigners claimed they were part of a windmill construction project in the area.

When asked about the nature of the project, one of the Chinese nationals said: “It’s a windmill project.  we are the only contractor. The client chose the place. Some engineers are from China, and we have a lot of local engineers." However, Bureau of Immigration spokesperson Dana Sandoval emphasized that foreign nationals must secure approved work visas before beginning any form of employment. “There’s no excuse. A foreign national must have an approved visa before starting work. They can’t just begin working while the visa is still being processed” said Dana Sandoval, spokesperson for the Bureau of Immigration.

Meanwhile, Quezon Governor Helen Tan clarified that the foreigners were not linked to any Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations. “They’re not POGO. It’s clear they’re not POGO. They are workers of the Alabat Wind Power Corporation working there because we are building a wind power project scheduled for completion by November,"  said Governor Helen Tan. However, she added that the contractor must explain why the Chinese workers allegedly had no legal documents. “Obviously, there was a violation in the contract. If we have foreign workers, they should be legal workers,” she said. The investigation by the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) and the Bureau of Immigration is ongoing regarding the operations and presence of the foreign nationals on the island.

The foreigners were brought to Police Regional Office 4A, Camp BGen Vicente Lim in Calamba City for documentation and biometrics processing.

They are now in the custody of the BI.