Photo credit: BI

It looks like the Bureau of Immigration (BI) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) are one step closer to uncovering who helped five Chinese fugitives try to sneak out of the country through the backdoor.

BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado shared that the PNP recently informed them of a promising lead on the so-called “facilitators” of the failed sea escape attempt. These facilitators, often referred to as “transporters,” are suspected of helping the fugitives navigate a covert route through the country’s southern seas.

To rewind a bit — the five Chinese nationals, identified as Ying Guanzhen, 31; Yang Jinlong, 29; Liu Xin, 28; Shen Kan, 36; and Luo Honglin, were arrested last March 22 in Zamboanga. They were nabbed by a joint team from the BI’s intelligence division and fugitive search unit, acting on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s push for stronger border control and intensified efforts against illegal aliens.

These individuals aren’t just your average overstaying foreigners. The BI says they’re tied to Lucky South 99, a POGO firm previously raided for alleged shady operations.

But the story gets even more dramatic. According to the Police Regional Office in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO BAR), the five had already attempted to escape the day before their arrest. On March 21, they were on a small speedboat traveling from Jolo to who-knows-where when the vessel broke down in the waters off Barangay Sikullis, Languyan, Tawi-Tawi. A joint rescue operation by the PNP and local police led to their discovery — along with three Filipino men on board.

All eight were brought to the Languyan Municipal Police Station for questioning. That’s when coordination with the BI revealed the real identities of the five foreigners — blacklisted fugitives trying to dodge deportation by sneaking out through back channels.

So, who helped them?

Locals say they used a “transporter” — someone who specializes in smuggling people across borders illegally. This is eerily similar to a recent case involving an individual known only as “Fiona,” who allegedly trafficked victims from the Philippines to Sabah, then onward to scam hubs in Myanmar.

As for the three Filipino boatmen? They claim they were just told to ferry passengers and didn’t know they were carrying Chinese fugitives. They only knew their contact by the name “Batman” — no full name, no background, just that nickname.

And there’s another twist — investigators reportedly found suspicious green substances on the boat, hinting at a possible drug angle that’s now under investigation.

Commissioner Viado thanked the local authorities for their quick response and coordination. “This arrest underscores the importance of our strong collaboration with government intelligence sources in ensuring that our borders are not exploited by fugitives and undocumented foreign nationals,” he said.

He also emphasized the role of local law enforcement and LGUs in protecting vulnerable border areas from becoming gateways for escape or trafficking.

As of now, all five Chinese nationals are being held at the BI detention facility inside Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan, Taguig, while deportation proceedings continue.

The investigation into their would-be escape facilitators — and that mystery man called “Batman” — is still ongoing.