Immigration chief Ricardo David resigns

(Updated 5:15 p.m.) Describing his job as “very challenging and difficult,” Commissioner Ricardo David of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) resigned from his post.

In a letter sent to President Benigno Aquino III, David said despite his determined efforts to hold liable and punish those involved in anomalous acts, “several unfortunate incidents and controversies have taken place which undermined our anti-corruption campaign.”
 
“As head of the BI, I take responsibility for these incidents that involved people who continued to resist the reforms that we labored to institute image transformation of this Bureau,” he said without elaborating.

In Malacañang, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said Aquino has accepted David's resignation as stated in the letter dated July 12.

Valte said she has no information on David's replacement at the moment.

Accomplishments

In his letter, David, who was military chief of staff from June 2010 to March 2011, boasted of his accomplishments in the bureau.

“We surpassed all our revenue targets, major final outputs and performance indicators during my term,” he said. We were also able to boost our revenues to record high levels as a result of our efforts to ensure that all fees due the government are collected and remitted to the national coffers.”

David also said that he was able to institute reforms in the bureau.

“Foremost of these reforms are our initiatives to discipline our rank and file, cut red tape, modernize our facilities, and implement an efficient travel control system in our ports of entry for the convenience of international travelers,” he said.

David said he hopes that his successor “will continue what we have started and to remain focused on the path of the President's 'tuwid na daan'.”

Last September, Aquino publicly scolded David for the supposed failures of the bureau, including letting high-profile fugitives leave the country and allowing hundreds of foreign cybercrime human trafficking syndicate members into the Philippines.

New appointees

At the same briefing, Valte announced the appointment of the following officials as commissioners of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP):

• Zenaida Brigida Pawid for Region I and the Cordilleras,
• Percy Brawner for Region II,
• Bayani Sumaoang for Region III and the rest of Luzon,
• Dionesia Banua for Island Groups including Mindoro, Palawan, Romblon, Panay and the rest of Visayas,
• Datu Cosme Lambayon for Northern and Western Mindanao
• Leonor T. Oralde-Quintayo for Southern and Eastern Mindanao, and
• Era Colmo España for Central Mindanao.

Aquino also appointed Maria Gloria bragan-Tango as acting Assistant Secretary in the Department of Labor and Employment, and Christopher Lawrence Arnuco as chairman and administrator of Zamboanga City Special Economic Zone Authority.— Andreo Calonzo/RSJ/KBK, GMA News