Immigration chief orders reshuffle of NAIA personnel

Amid corruption issues surrounding the bureau, Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente has ordered a “total revamp” at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

On Thursday, Morente announced a reshuffle of all personnel assigned at NAIA’s Terminals 1-3 “effective immediately,” in compliance with President Rodrigo Duterte’s order for a revamp.

The personnel movement covers the Port Operations Division (POD) deputies and terminal heads down to counter personnel, except the POD chief, which will be decided by the Department of Justice (DOJ), Morente said.

“This practice of rotating and changing assignments on a regular and programmed basis is both a means to enable better performance and encourage skill upgrades, as well as a necessary precaution against possible avenues for graft and corruption,” Morente said in a statement.

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) is implementing this change as it and the DOJ, its mother agency, investigate an alleged scheme in which airport  personnel escort Chinese casino high-rollers and offshore gaming workers through the immigration process in exchange for a fee.

The immigration officer who revealed the so-called “pastillas” scheme and identified personnel involved is now under the custody of the Witness Protection Program.

The BI has earlier placed at least 19 personnel on floating status pending the results of the investigation. Morente said sanctions will be implemented based on the investigation’s findings.

“These changes in management responsibilities and section assignments in our airports are part of the on-going actions that are being taken to address the recent resurgence of unauthorized activities and irregularities, as major steps have already been made to address these issues since 2016,” Morente said.

“These irregularities and their consequences impact on morale and detract from the professionalism and service that the men and women of the Bureau of Immigration are pledged to provide,” he added.

He said the bureau has activated new protocols in the conduct of secondary inspections in open areas “for transparency” and installed additional CCTV cameras in all areas of primary inspectors.

He added that the BI has sought DOJ assistance in expanding its investigation to include private entities that act as the “recruiters” of the foreigners.

“These agencies, as mentioned in the Senate hearing, have counterparts both in China and in the Philippines who reportedly receive bulk of the grease money given by Chinese nationals who avail of said VIP treatment,” the bureau chief said.

“We see this as one of the major root causes, as these agencies are the source of the corruption,” he said. — RSJ, GMA News