Three Filipinos rounded up in raids
By Lyna Mohamad

Bandar Seri Begawan – Brunei continues to tighten screws on illegal immigrants and work pass violators.

Three Filipino men, who were rounded up in another routine inspection by Immigration Enforcement officers, have been issued special passes requiring them to report to the Enforcement Office for further questioning.

The trio was in the middle of doing construction work at a house undergoing renovation in Kg Sengkurong when Senior Immigration Officer, Sabtu Hj Alim, led his team of eight enforcement officers to conduct a routine inspection on the workers at the site.

Ruben D Aquino held a work pass as a carpenter but his green identity card had expired on April 11, 2004. He was found plastering cement on one of the walls at the renovation site, when officials raided the site.

Even if he could prove that his identity card has been renewed, he is still liable for violating Regulation 15 (2) of the Immigration Act for carrying out work different from what he has been sponsored for.

Meanwhile, his fellow colleague, Manding P Estrada, who was also in the middle of doing construction works and failed to produce any documents to the law enforcers, was a second offender. His first offence was recorded during 'Ops Buru 39', one of the series of immigration raid operations in Kg Bengkurong Masin.

The other Filipino man, Elpdio Molina who was in the middle of fixing steel to a pole also failed to produce any relevant documents when questioned by the law enforcers resulting in him being taken to the Enforcement Office and issued with a special pass for further screening today.

The employer of these foreign workers, if found guilty, shall be liable on conviction to a prison term of not less than 6 months and not more than 2 years and a fine not more than $6,000, for contravening the Immigration Act section 55 (e), which is providing employment to immigration offenders.

The enforcement unit is actively doing routine checks along with a series of follow-up operation raids to ensure that the Immigration Act is not violated and to curb any illegal immigration activities that some ignorant employers or foreigners are still practicing, despite many warnings that have been given. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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