Morente boots out corrupt BI officers at NAIA, other airports

Some immigration officers assigned at the international airports in Manila and three other cities have been relieved and are being investigated for allegedly facilitating the departure for South Korea of several Filipinas suspected of being human trafficking victims.

Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Jaime Morente immediately issued show-cause orders to the concerned immigration officers requiring them to explain within 72 hours why they should not be administratively charged for allowing the women to leave.

“We will not hesitate to punish any of our employees who connived with human traffickers in preying on our women. That is unforgivable,” the immigration chief said in a statement.

They employees were relieved from their airport counter duties and their stamps confiscated.” Morente added.

The BI chief ordered the probe after the five victims arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) last July 23 after being deported from South Korea.

The women departed the Philippines posing as tourists, their Korean entertainers’ visas were placed on their passports only during their stop-over in Hongkong.

They worked as nightclub singers in Korea and were eventually deported for overstaying. Their promoter in Korea was likewise arrested. Their identities were not revealed because the anti-human trafficking law forbids it.

Initial reports found that the women separately left the country two years ago for various destinations before proceeding to Korea.

They were allegedly cleared for departure by immigration officers despite their doubtful purpose of travel and presentation of questionable documents.