The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Wednesday said their officers did not illegally arrest a Chinese women who threw a cup of soya to a police officer at the MRT 3 Boni Station last Saturday.

This is after Jiale Zhang’s lawyer, Sandra Respall, accused the BI of illegally detaining their client.

“Well there is no basis (for the allegation) since there is really a valid mission order to conduct the arrest of this person,” BI spokesperson Dana Krizia Sandoval said in a TV interview.

“Actually, officials from Immigration arrested the suspect. They were armed with a mission order,” she added.

Sandoval said a commotion happened because Zhang resisted arrest.

She said the Chinese woman must be arrested because she was charged for undesirability for a deportation case.

“So the agents try to conduct the arrest as peaceful as possible,” she added.

Zhang posted bail at the Mandaluyong City prosecutor's office but Sandoval said her immigration case is different from her criminal case.

Zhang was not also illegally detained since they brought arrested foreigners at their detention facility located inside the Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig.

“That is our warden facility,” said Sandoval.

According to Sandoval, Zhang’s deportation proceedings will start now and for the next few days, the board of commissioners will decide whether to deport her to China.

She added they usually deport foreigners who show disrespect to authorities.

“For any foreign national, regardless of nationality if they have immigration violation, they will be deported,” said Sandoval. Ella Dionisio/DMS