Security agencies report 67 foreigners arrested in Davao Region since January

Sixty-seven foreign nationals have been arrested in the Davao Region since January this year, according to security officials. The arrests come as the military, police, coast guard and intelligence agencies step up joint surveillance against foreign interference and transnational crimes, Mindanao Times reported.

Officials said the foreigners were reportedly involved in 17 illegal incidents within the area of responsibility of the Philippine Army's 10th Infantry Division (10ID). The report did not give the nationalities of those arrested or the specific offences involved.

The figures were discussed on Friday, Nov. 13, at Camp Sgt. Quintin M. Merecido during the fourth-quarter validation workshop of the Joint AFP-PNP-PCG Intelligence Committee (JAPPIC) XI. The meeting brought together officials from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine National Police, the Philippine Coast Guard and the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency.

Security officials said that while the region remains insurgency-free, intelligence sharing among agencies is increasingly focused on external threats. This includes environmental scanning to detect and counter what they called Foreign Interference and Malign Influence (FIMI).

10ID commander Maj. Gen. Alvin Luzon, who was welcomed with arrival honors by Police Regional Office XI director Brig. Gen. Benigno Guzman, cautioned security forces against relaxing now that internal insurgency threats have eased. "We must not become complacent with the gains we have achieved," Luzon said during the workshop at Pulis Bagani Hall.

Luzon also urged intelligence officers to go beyond routine administrative reports and turn validated information into practical recommendations for units in the field. He said aligning verified data across agencies with different mandates is key to upholding the rule of law and protecting communities in the region.