BI calls for stronger coordination among LGUs to prevent people from exiting through PH backdoors

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) suggested stronger coordination with local government units (LGUs) to prevent people, including controversial personalities embroiled in political issues, from leaving the Philippines through its backdoors, such as Tawi-Tawi.

This was one of the suggestions of the BI during the hearing of the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights on Monday.

The proposal was prompted after Senator Sherwin Gatchalian asked BI for suggestions following the cases of controversial personalities who allegedly used the backdoor, including dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo.

“Over the weekend, I was just in Tawi-Tawi, and there were so many talks about certain personalities slipping through the back door,” Gatchalian said.

“We saw, of course, the infamous personalities such as si Guo Hua Ping aka Alice Guo, si Harry Roque, si Congressman Teves. Ngayon noong nandoon ako sinasabi nila si Atong Ang dumaan daw roon sa backdoor. So all of the personalities are escaping the arms of the law by slipping through the backdoor. So I would like to ask the Commissioner, ano bang mga suggestion niya na puwedeng ilagay dito sa batas so that we can strengthen that aspect? Or else, this will not stop,” the senator added.

According to BI Commissioner Joel Viado, Tawi-Tawi is a challenge as it comprises about 50% of the waters of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

He said they have put additional intelligence personnel and manpower in Tawi-Tawi, but pointed out that increased engagement with LGUs is important.

“Ang local government units po alam po nila kung sino ang hindi taga-roon eh,” Viado said.

“We also need to digitize. Challenge po ang internet connection diyan sa Tawi-Tawi,” he continued.

Another suggestion was using drones to monitor the area.

Viado also asked the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and other concerned agencies to immediately move for the cancellation of passport in cases of illegal departure.

“We need to be very vigilant in filing criminal cases involving these illegal departures. And kung wala hong batas o mahina ang batas, we should craft one ho to strengthen that — a law against illegal departures,” Viado mentioned.

He noted that the BI only has 80 to 90 regular intelligence personnel and around 60 to 70 contractual and job order personnel conducting intelligence operations. The fugitive search unit only has 16 operatives.

The agency asks for help from other agencies, and vice versa.

It is also in touch with immigration offices from different countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Viado said fugitives from other countries think of the Philippines as a haven, but stressed that they will not allow this.

“Di puwede pong gawing pahingahan ang Pilipinas. Hindi ho puwede. Hindi puwedeng dito sila akala nila eh makakatakas sila,” he emphasized.

Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, who chairs the panel, said the modernization roadmap of the BI should be clear.  A pre-war framework, he said, is no longer sufficient to address modern challenges—from transnational crime and human trafficking to digital fraud and visa abuse. 

-Paraluman News