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Gov't cracks whip on
extorting immigration
officers at NAIA
August 26, 2003
Government scored anew in its drive against graft
and corruption with the recall of three immigration
officers assigned at the Ninoy Aquino International
Airport (NAIA) for alleged extortion activities,
Presidential Adviser of Overseas Filipino Communities
Secretary Heherson T. Alvarez today said.
"We have broken the back of a syndicate that
preys on our departing Overseas Filipino Workers
(OFWs) and their families. While the investigations
continue, we hope that we have substantially addressed
this extortion racket perpetrated against OFWs and
that the Bureau of Immigration will continue to
weed out its erring personnel," Alvarez stressed.
The three -- Winnefredo Jusay, Carol Vinuya and
a certain Ms. Arjinal, all immigration officers
stationed at the NAIA -- were implicated in a probe
conducted by two lawyers sent to Abu Dhabi and Dubai
by Bureau of Immigration Commissioner Andrea D.
Domingo following a crackdown on the rampant extortion
allegedly being committed by immigrations personnel
stationed at the NAIA.
Earlier, the Bagong Bayani Lakas ng Bayan (BAYANIKASAN),
a group of OFWs based in Abu Dhabi and United Arab
Emirates (UAE) sought the assistance of Alvarez,
during his visit to the Middle East in April 2003,
after they documented the complaints of some 200
OFWs on the issue of extortion. Alvarez immediately
informed Domingo who in turn called for an investigation.
In his memorandum to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo,
Alvarez submitted the initial report of Bureau lawyers
Edgardo L. Mendoza and Arvin Cesar G. Santos who
conducted the probe.
The report detailed how Emmanuel Regulacion, Carmina
Pascua, Vela Santiago and Eddie Arab were off-loaded
from their respective flights on three separate
occasions and were separately asked to dole out
Php5,000.00 each in exchange for a departure stamps
on their passports.
According to the report, on October 22, 2003 , after
thrice being denied to leave, Regulacion was approached
by a lady at NAIA who told her to go to a certain
immigration counter where a male officer demanded
P5,000.00 from him. Regulacion was able to leave
for Dubai on the same day. The stamp with number
MNL 262 was issued by Jusay.
For their part, Pascua and Santiago were also not
allowed to board their plane due to "some lacking
documents." They alleged that a certain Jawwad
Bukhair, reportedly an employee of Cathay Pacific,
agreed to facilitate their departure for P5,000.00
each. On Oct. 29, 2002 , they gave Jawwad the money
and were directed to an already closed immigration
counter where a lady they identified as Vinuya gave
them the departure stamps on their passports without
scrutinizing any other document. They were able
to leave for Abu Dhabi that same day.
Meanwhile, on May 10, 2003 , Arab was off-loaded
from his flight that day for lack of travel documents.
On May 18, he was able to depart after a certain
Glenn asked him to hand over P5,000.00 in an envelope
to "counter no. 5." Records showed that
Arjinal was on duty at that time in counter no.
5.
In her letter to Alvarez, Domingo said the immigration
officers involved in the case "have been recalled
to the main office, without entitlement to overtime
pay, pending the final disposition of the complaint
against them."
Alvarez lauded Domingo for "acting expeditiously
on the complaints we aired where legitimate OFWs
with complete documentation are threatened to be
taken out of a plane for spurious visa requirements
unless they shell out obscene amounts ranging from
P5,000 to as much as P25,000."
Immigration officials estimate that at least 3,000
OFWs and their families depart NAIA daily.
Domingo vowed to pursue the investigations and to
look into other similar complaints. She also issued
Memorandum Order No. ADD-03-013, ordering all immigrations
personnel to allow the immediate departure of OFWs
and their families who already hold documents as
required by law, without further delay or the need
for any other "supporting papers."
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