Four Israelis were among ten foreign nationals taken into custody by the Bureau of Immigration during a coordinated series of operations on Siargao Island on June 26, the agency confirmed, marking the largest enforcement action on the surfing destination after months of resident complaints centered on the conduct of Israeli visitors.
The Israelis formed the biggest national grouping in the sweep. Immigration intelligence officials identified two of them as Ben Yeshaya Menahem Mendel Rafael and Aharon Ida, both 22, who were found to have overstayed and worked without the required visas. According to the BI, the pair had been employed at an Israeli restaurant and were running a Jewish center without proper documents, and were unable to produce their passports when officers arrived. A third Israeli, Abeve Tewabel, 23, was detained for working without authorization and had earlier been flagged as an undesirable alien following a prior arrest by local authorities. The fourth, Etay Harari, 51, was picked up after officials determined he was working as a disc jockey without a permit.
Whether the well-publicized friction between locals and Israeli tourists triggered the operation is a question the agency addressed directly. BI spokesperson Dana Krizia Sandoval told Arab News that the misconduct reports were not the cause of the arrests themselves, but prompted officials to examine the status of certain individuals more closely. “While the reports on unruly incidents did not directly cause the arrest, it caused the office to take a closer look at these individuals and their status in the country,” she said, adding that those detained were found to have breached immigration rules and would face sanctions.
That friction has been building for months. Reports of misconduct went viral when two Israelis were accused of assaulting the owners of a Siargao café, allegedly over a Palestinian flag on display, and Filipino influencers had been pressing for a crackdown on harassment of local businesses. Israeli citizens may currently enter the Philippines visa-free for up to 59 days.
The remaining detainees spanned five other nationalities. Two Chinese nationals, Zhu Guifu, 36, and Chen Anqi, 31, were located at a surf resort and found to be overstaying with existing blacklist records. Moroccan national Larbi Oirdi, 23, faces charges as an undesirable alien tied to a previous arrest involving unjust vexation, direct assault, and serious resistance, among other offenses. Australian Lauren Elizabeth Fornazieri, 34, had reportedly remained in the country illegally for nine years while working at a Siargao hotel. Nigerian Bill James Augustine, 27, was apprehended for working without authorization as a dog trainer, while Lithuanian Edgar Drozdov, 39, was found managing a resort and moonlighting as a food delivery rider, both without permits.
The operation was carried out by operatives from the BI Intelligence Division’s main office and its Mindanao task group, acting on tips from residents and business owners. Intelligence Division chief Fortunato Manahan Jr. credited the local community for the results, saying stakeholders had been active in flagging suspected violators.
Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado framed the crackdown as a warning to foreigners who exploit their welcome. “The Philippines remains a welcoming destination for legitimate tourists, investors, and foreign visitors. Our people are known around the world for their hospitality,” he said. “But that hospitality should never be mistaken for tolerance of those who choose to violate our laws. Those who abuse the privilege of staying in our country must face the consequences.”
