THE Bureau of Immigration is mulling imposing fines and legal action against an airline for a security breach.
Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco yesterday said a Congolese passenger who had been denied entry last June 18 after arriving from Ethiopia managed to leave the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 before he was apprehended last Tuesday.
Tsahapa Guimick Basago, 31, who was denied entry for being likely to become a public menace, was turned over to the airline that brought him to the country, to be sent back home via the next available flight to his port of origin.
Following immigration law, he was temporarily held at the airport’s day room prior to his return flight.
However, Tansingco said the airline-on-duty security guard informed the BI’s Border Control Intelligence Unit last Monday night that Basaga was missing from the airline’s custody.
It was later learned that Basaga left the airport day room and proceed to the taxi bay outside.
He was later found inside the airport terminal, attempting to go to the immigration counter to retrieve his passport.
“This is a major security breach as the subject has been denied entry, yet was able to exit the airport premises undetected. By law, it is the airline’s responsibility to secure him and ensure that he boards his flight back,” said Tansingco, who did not identify the airline.
