All the illegal activities perpetuated by past Bureau of Immigration officials in ports and airports will now be removed with the decentralization of the duties and responsibilities to be shared by designated officials in ports and airports, which happened because the previous structure was all centralized.
Citing that centralizing the Bureau of Immigration Port Operations Division to just one person is the problem, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said he would be ordering its decentralization so that problems would be resolved by each officer in every port or airport.
“I am about to sign an order that deactivated that office at the Bureau of Immigration that we believe is part of the defect of the immigration system right now. That is the Port Operations Division, centralizing port operations under one person,” Remulla told reporters in a briefing Tuesday.
Remulla said the deactivation of BI-POD is in response to other controversies that the agency got embroiled in, particular on the process of immigration in the country.
The BI-POD is headed by lawyer Carlos Capulong.
Remulla described the division as an office that centralizes the operations of the different ports in the country.
He said he would also relieve Capulong, once he signs the decentralization order.
He said the duties and responsibilities of the BI-POD will be decentralized and command responsibility will be assigned to every person heading the operation in every port/airport.
Remulla said he would be discussing with BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco about the possible disciplinary measures to be imposed against immigration personnel who have violated immigration laws and procedures.
“We will investigate those who will have to be investigated. We will not hesitate to look into anybody who has to be questioned. All offices are fair game here. There are no sacred cows as far as we are concerned here at the Department of Justice,” Remulla said.
Earlier, three immigration officers were relieved from their posts for their alleged involvement in human trafficking activities at the Clark International Airport and the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros has also disclosed that BI officials in Clark airport are allegedly involved in human trafficking of Filipinos in Cambodia.
She said one of the Filipinos, who was trafficked to Cambodia to work as a cryptocurrency scammer for Chinese mafia, claimed that recruiters would pay around P75,000 to P100,000 to immigration officers for every Filipino that they allow to exit without going through the usual processes.
There were also overseas Filipino workers who were promised jobs in Thailand but were trafficked to Myanmar to become crypto scammers.
Meanwhile, Remulla said “show cause” orders have already been issued against several BI personnel, compelling them to explain their side as regards the confiscation of numerous cellular phones and other gadgets from the detainees inside the BI’s detention facility.
“We are looking at administrative cases that will be filed for infidelity in the custody of detention prisoners. Those are punishable by the Revised Penal Code,” he said.
“Reforms are underway at the Bureau of Immigration,” he assured.
Earlier, BI spokesman Dana Sandoval said the BI has implemented major revamp of officials and employees assigned at the BI’s detention facility in Taguig City.
The action came after it was discovered that detainees were allowed to use gadgets while inside the facility.
Sandoval said detainees can only use mobile phones upon the approval of the BI chief but the latter has not approved any request to use gadgets in the facility since he assumed his post.
Tags: #DoJ, #BureauofImmigration, #decentralization, #humantrafficking