3 Immigration personnel relieved from post, probed over links to trafficking activities

Mike Navallo, ABS-CBN News

MANILA — The Bureau of Immigration has relieved 3 of its personnel over their alleged involvement in trafficking activities. Two of them are from the Clark International Airport (CIA) while another is based at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), spokesperson Dana Sandoval told ABS-CBN News.The bureau initially announced through a press release Thursday morning that Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco on Tuesday, January 17, relieved 2 of its personnel after receiving information about their supposed links to trafficking syndicates.“We are initiating an investigation to verify this information, and if there is indeed probable cause, we shall file the appropriate case before the Department of Justice (DOJ),” Tansingco said in a statement.After a meeting on Thursday, Sandoval said 1 more personnel has also been relieved from the post and placed under investigation.“So ito pong pangatlong information officer has also been relieved from the frontlines pending yung investigation po and kung makita po na merong connivance with human trafficking syndicates then definitely po this will be elevated to the Department of Justice through a case, an administrative case against them, she explained.Sandoval could not disclose yet full details as to what exactly the 3 Immigration personnel did but she confirmed they are looking at links of these personnel to syndicates in Cambodia and other Asian countries that recruited Filipinos for &quot;scamming activities.&quot;Senator Risa Hontiveros first exposed the issue of a Chinese mafia in Cambodia supposedly recruiting Filipinos to become cryptocurrency scammers. One of the victims supposedly reached out to her office to detail how they were promised call center jobs, only to be forced to dupe citizens from other countries of their life savings.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/18/23/another-batch-of-ofws-forced-to-work-as-crypto-scammers-hontiveros">Another batch of OFWs forced to work as &#x27;crypto scammers&#x27;: Hontiveros</a></li></ul>The exposé came months after Hontiveros also revealed a similar scheme involving Chinese syndicates in Myanmar.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/21/22/chinese-mafia-recruiting-pinoys-as-scammers-in-myanmar-hontiveros">&#x27;Chinese mafia&#x27; recruiting Pinoys as scammers in Myanmar: Hontiveros</a></li></ul>Sandoval said they are checking if the Cambodia and Myanmar trafficking operations are part of the same syndicate but she noted they are seeing &quot;very similar&quot; stories.Sandoval said BI is already talking to at least 6 victims of human trafficking but has yet to talk to &quot;Miles,&quot; Hontiveros&#x27; witness, but she said the bureau will get in touch with the office of the senator.She said investigation will be &quot;prioritized&quot; and they will release the results as soon as possible.While the BI spokesperson could not mention a timeline yet for the probe, she assured the public the agency is treating this issue as a &quot;very urgent&quot; matter, as shown by the immediate relief of personnel involved. “‘Yung atin pong immediate disciplinary action to those who are caught involved in such activities serves as a strong deterrent sa mga nakakaisip na gumawa ng kalokohan. As in the past po, nakita naman po natin na tinutuluyan po talaga kumbaga those who are seen to be doing unscrupulous activities. And this, definitely po, will be continued by the administration of Commissioner Tansingco,” she said.Aside from disciplinary action, Sandoval said they are also ensuring continuous shuffling of Immigration counters to prevent connivance and fraternization of Immigration personnel.But in the long run, she said the bureau intends to improve their procedures.“Well yung long-term muna natin siguro na gustong mangyari ng opisina is really to automate a lot of processes, ‘yung ating mga e-gates, kagaya niyan, which lessens face-to-face interaction of Immigration officers and the travelling public,” she said.The Myanmar operations allegedly involved “escorts” guiding recruited Filipinos away from the regular Immigration counters to ensure they can get out of the country while the notorious Pastillas scam involved Immigration personnel bringing in Chinese tourists in exchange for money rolled in paper, much like the Filipino delicacy “pastillas.”Several Immigration officials and personnel are now facing graft charges before the Sandiganbayan over the scheme.<div>SOJ: CRYPTOSCAM SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED</div>Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla, for his part, said Thursday that the alleged trafficking of Filipinos to Cambodia should be investigated.“Dapat lang maimbestigahan. Matagal namang tinatrabaho yan bago lumabas ang mga paratang,” he said.“Ongoing naman lahat ng mga ano natin, mga fact-finding natin tungkol sa nangyari sa Cambodia. We haven’t stopped trying to find out by going to the bottom of the facts. Syempre we have to know how deep it went kasi nga the first word was it was the NAIA people, sa mga concessionaires daw. Pero it was beyond that, di pwedeng ganun lang,” he added.

The Bureau of Immigration has relieved 3 of its personnel over their alleged involvement in trafficking activities. 

3 Immigration personnel relieved from post, probed over links to trafficking activities | ABS-CBN

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3 Immigration personnel relieved from post, probed over links to trafficking activities

3 Immigration personnel relieved from post, probed over links to trafficking activities

Mike Navallo,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jan 19, 2023 11:53 PM PHT

Read More:

Bureau of Immigration

BI

Department of Justice

DOJ

human trafficking

cryptocurrency scam

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