MORE Bureau of Immigration (BI) personnel are now under investigation for “possible involvement, failure or neglect” to prevent the escape of South Korean fugitive Na Ikhyeon early this month.
Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said the agency is expanding its internal investigation and is “ready with more suspensions of personnel suspected of colluding in his escape.
“This incident exposed deep-rooted problems within the system. This is not a simple mistake, there is collusion here,” Viado said in a statement late yesterday afternoon.
“We are identifying more personnel who may have played a role, directly or indirectly, in his escape,” he added.
Viado said he has already recommended the preventive suspension of several additional BI personnel, with “more expected to follow.”
This is in addition to the two contractual workers already fired and a permanent BI employee dismissed from service who are now facing charges before the Department of Justice.
“No one will be spared. All involved will face the consequences,” Viado said, adding that investigators are now scrutinizing the records of other detained foreigners to check for possible patterns of corruption within the BI.
“This is not just about one escape; this is about dismantling an entire system of corruption that has allowed foreign criminals to operate freely,” the BI chief said.
As part of reforms, Viado has directed BI personnel to implement stronger surveillance and tracking of high-profile detainees.
Viado added that they are set to transfer those arrested to a more secure holding facility soon to ensure the proper monitoring of immigration detainees.
The BI’s detention facility is located in Camp Bagong Diwa, Bicutan, Taguig City.
It can hold 100 detainees, but currently, more than 300 foreigners are being held in the facility.
Viado said he also ordered the conduct of mandatory background checks on all BI officers handling foreign fugitives, implement personnel rotations to prevent long-term ties with detainees, and strengthen collaboration with foreign intelligence agencies for fugitive monitoring and tracking.
