VISA processing company BLS International Services Ltd. said that the BLS Philippines Visa Application Centers (PVAC) is not part of the BLS International Group of Companies. In a statement, the company said BLS processes its visa applications in the Philippines through its own subsidiary. “For absolute clarity, BLS International Services Ltd. processes visa applications in the Philippines through its 100 percent owned subsidiary, BLS Worldwide Services Inc. Philippines,” the company said. “Recent media coverage or references to BLS Philippines Visa Application Centers are unrelated to BLS International Services Ltd., & its Group companies including BLS Worldwide Services Inc. Philippines, or our operations and service standards,” they added. “We remain firmly committed to upholding the highest standards of professionalism and service excellence across all our global operations.” The clarification came amid recent reports regarding the arrest of Jagmohan Singh Tamber, the director of BLS PVAC in November. Tamber was arrested following criminal complaints filed by overseas Filipino workers Mary Joy Lozada and Cristine Ocampo, who alleged that the visa centers falsely promised them jobs as domestic helpers in Hong Kong. Apart from Tamber, also charged were Marie Antonette Lumanlan Ng, John Paull Aguilar Sia, Jayson Panginen Andasan, Ma. Teresa Clavaton, and Shagopta Bashir Punzalan. Tamber and Andasan were denied bail by the Pasay City Regional Trial Court Branch 112 in the syndicated illegal recruitment case.