ADMINISTRATIVE fines slapped by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) against airlines that flew in passengers bound for the Philippines with incomplete or improper documents have accumulated to P273.73 million as of last year.
In the 2022 audit report released on June 21, 2022, the Commission on Audit said the BI has only collected P48,000 or just .02 percent of the amount.
Based on the Philippine Immigration and Citizenship Laws (PICL), any inbound vessel or aircraft carrying a foreigner who is not properly documented shall be fined P500 per person.
The law was passed way back on August 26, 1940 but it was only on April 12, 1999 that then Immigration Commissioner Rufus Rodriguez increased the fine to P50,000 per undocumented alien. This move was approved by then Justice Secretary Serafin Cuevas.
Airline companies, however, challenged the legality of the increased fine and refused to pay.
