A SURPRISE raid on January 30 by the Bureau of Immigration’s intelligence division, assisted by the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), on a detention facility of the Bureau of Immigration located in Camp Bagong Diwa, Bicutan, Taguig City revealed that some foreign detainees were getting VIP treatment.
During the raid, it was found out that various contraband such as cellphones, gadgets and other amenities were being used without the approval of the BI commissioner, in violation of the rules.
The raid was triggered by reports that one of four Japanese nationals in detention there was actually “Luffy,” the alleged brains behind a series of big-time robberies in Japan and who was believed to be operating remotely while in detention. We have seen this scenario before, not at the BI, but at the Bureau of Corrections in New Bilibid Prisons in Muntinlupa City.
One good thing that came out of the NCRPO’s Oplan Greyhound raid at the BI Warden Facility (BIWF) is the seizure of cellphones, cigarettes, undeclared cash, sharp objects, construction materials etc. that confirm claims earlier raised that some of the foreign detainees were involved in illegal activities inside and even outside the BIWF.
‘Another positive result of the raid is the confirmation that fugitives and non-fugitives were
co-mingling at the facility.’
Another positive result of the raid is the confirmation that fugitives and non-fugitives were co-mingling at the facility. There were fugitives from the law in their native countries and those who are detained for only violating the Philippines’ immigration laws. Their living together in one detention space clearly does not make for a positive holding arrangement.
Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Norman Tansingco did the right thing in immediately changing the team handling operations at the BIWF and at the same time ensuring heightened security at the country’s only major holding center for deportees. He relieved the chief of the detention facility, including 35 other personnel, and reassigned them to other back-end offices pending investigation.
Tansingco is new in the post, celebrating his first 100 days only in December, although he is an old hand in the BI. He said he has instructed the new management of the BIWF to implement improvements in the facility, and to ensure that no such incident occurs in the future. He also warned that those who are found to be remiss in their duty will definitely face administrative charges.
Meanwhile, Undersecretary Jose Dominic Clavano of the Department of Justice said the group of four Japanese have standing warrants in their country for theft, fraud, and robbery. Their mobile phones had been turned over to the National Bureau of Investigation for forensic examination. Clavano expressed hope that since the criminal cases of the four in Japan are more important than the immigration violations they committed here, the local cases would be dismissed to pave the way for their deportation to Japan, which is preferred by the Japanese government.
This whole episode showed that yes, irregularities are happening in the country’s detention facilities and jails, but the timely action of responsible officials such as Commissioner Tansingco should correct the wrong and drive home the message that the government is in control.
