Despite the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, a total of 28 foreign fugitives were arrested in the first six months of the year, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) reported on Monday.

Citing a report of the BI’s fugitive search unit (FSU), Commissioner Jaime Morente said the number of alien fugitives arrested from January to June was only slightly lower than the 32 wanted foreigners who were apprehended in the same period last year when the pandemic broke out.

“While admittedly we had much difficulty as our field operatives face exposure to virus, our officers remain steadfast in their duty to cleanse the country of these unwanted aliens,” Morente said in a statement.

Records showed that 19 South Koreans, who were also wanted for fraud and illegal gambling, topped the list of the arrested fugitives.

The other arrested foreign fugitives were four Americans, a Japanese, a French, an Italian, a Polish, and a Bahraini national.

Among the high profile fugitives who were captured was Frenchman Julien Barbier, who is wanted for narcotics trafficking; American John Dalton Daclan, who is wanted for a string of cases such as robbery, burglary, fraud, and battery; and Italian Antonello Ivaldi, a sex offender and alleged pedophile.

FSU chief Rendel Sy said most of the fugitives arrested were already deported and are now serving sentences for their crimes.

The foreign fugitives were also placed on the BI blacklist and banned from re-entering the country.

In 2019, the BI has arrested 425 fugitives, the biggest number of apprehended foreign nationals.

Majority of the arrested foreigners were Chinese nationals involved in illegal online gaming and telecom fraud operations. They also topped the list of the 260 alien fugitives who were arrested in 2018. (PNA)