Immigration revamp pushed over deportation fiasco Maila Ager INQ7.net
November 14, 2006
(2ND UPDATE) A TOP-to-bottom revamp at the Bureau of Immigration (BI) is being pushed by a lawmaker at the House of Representatives, saying the agency has turned into a market place where freedom was allegedly for sale.
In a privilege speech late Monday, Surigao del Sur Representative Robert “Ace” Barbers disclosed that two foreigners, including a suspected terrorist, had been released by the BI despite the absence of proper documents.
Barbers identified the foreigners as Zhang Du, charged with kidnapping-for-ransom, and Vo Van Duc, allegedly wanted in the United States for being a terrorist suspect.
Acting Immigration Commissioner Roy Almoro has refused to comment on Barbers’ exposé when contacted by the Inquirer.
Two BID agents identified as Lito Pagaduan and Erwin Librojo, and another detainee, Keerth Jayama, allegedly escorted Zhang out of the Bicutan detention to freedom at 6:40 a.m. of May 7, 2007.
Barbers learned that Zhang had been released, despite pending cases in court and a hold departure order against him, based on deportation papers presented to his escorts that turned out to be bogus.
Meanwhile Vo Van Duc was freed after allegedly securing a summary deportation order (SDO) from three BID commissioners who were identified as Teodoro Delarmente, Jose Cabochan, and Roy Almoro.
Barbers said the SDO was issued on May 5, 2005 when BID Commissioner Alipio Fernandez was on leave.
“Assuming for the sake of argument that the SDO was in order, the deportation pursuant to such order was done in a highly irregular manner, to say the least,” Barbers said.
He said the SDO neither had clearances from the court, the National Bureau of Investigation nor the Philippine National Police.
Worse, Vo Van Duc was even given a Philippine passport upon his entry at the airport.
With the Philippine passport, Barbers said it was not clear whether Vo Van Duc had managed leave the country.
Barbers could not find any other logical reason for the detainees’ freedom except that they had bought it.
“Mr. Speaker, these despicable crimes should cost no less than the heads of all those who will be found guilty of participating the commission,” he said.
“The fact that freedom for sale is being perpetrated with impunity in the BID is more than enough to warrant a total overhaul of the agency--from top to bottom. It's long overdue,” he said.
“It's about time Mr. Speaker that the Bureau shakes off the now fast-becoming meaning of its acronym BID, Bayad Importante Dito [Payment is important here], and restore its real meaning and lost glory,” the lawmaker said.
Barbers also asked the House of Representatives to investigate the case.
