242 na mga dayuhan pinagbawalang pumasok sa bansa

PINAGBAWALAN ng mga opisyal ng Bureau of Immigration (BI) na makapasok ng bansa ang may 242 na mga dayuhan na pinaghihinalaang illegal na magtratrabaho.

Sinabi ni BI Commissioner Jaime Morente na ang pagbabawal ay kasunod nang pagbabalasa ng ilang opisyal sa NAIA mula sa kanilang kasalukuyang puwesto dahil sa nabulgar na “pastillas” scheme.

“79 were excluded at NAIA 1, 33 were excluded at NAIA 2, and 130 were excluded at NAIA 3. Some were Cambodians, Vietnamese, Indonesians, Myan-mars, Malaysians, and Chinese,” ayon kay Morente kung saan nasabat ang mga ito mula Feb. 21 hanggang Feb. 28.

Sinabi naman ni BI Intelligence Chief Fortunato Manahan, Jr., na kanilang napuna ang pagpasok ng mga illegal na manggagawa na makapasok sa Pilipinas sa pamagitan ng ilang port of entry.

“We see this as a cause for concern,” ayon kay Manahan.. “Our frontliners will heighten our efforts in screening these aliens. We are in close coordination with our foreign counterparts in ensuring that no aliens with bad records enter the country. But if they are already in the country before we receive information about their crimes, we will immediately send them out,” dagdag pa nito.

Samantala, ipinangako ni Morente na palalawakin pa nito ang pagsisiyasat sa
Pastillas scheme, kasunod ng pahayag ng whistle-blower na Allison Chiong na nagpapatuloy ang nasabing modus “until recently”.

“I have ordered all NAIA heads replaced, and reshuffled all frontline personnel to break any possible collusion among them, this revamp affected around 800 officers,” ayon kay Morente. “We have likewise placed the Travel Control and Enforcement Unit and the Border Control and Investigation Unit under the control and supervision of the Intelligence Division to serve as an external check and balance to monitor airport operations,” dagdag pa ng BI Chief.

Binalaan naman ni Morente na ang sinumang mapapatunayang kasama sa pastillas scheme ay mahaharap sa administrative at criminal cases. (Gene Adsuara)