The Bureau of Immigration said that it has deployed 155 immigration officers to the country’s airports in order to prepare for the influx of passengers to and from the Philippines during the Holy Week.
“Tayo po ay nagdagdag ng tauhan. 155 immigration officers have been deployed dito po sa mga paliparan natin para masigurado po na fully manned ang ating mga counters,” BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval said in an interview.
Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco said that they are closely monitoring the situation and even conducted inspections at airports on Thursday.
BI personnel were also prohibited from taking their leaves in order to maximize the bureau’s manpower.
“Temporarily po ‘yung mga frontliners po natin hindi po muna puwedeng magbakasyon, ipagpaliban po muna yung mga bakasyon nila after po the peak season para ma maximize po ‘yung manpower natin sa ating paliparan,” she said.
Sandoval said that they are now investigating the complaint of a seafarer who said that he was asked for P150,000 to escort him to his flight after he was offloaded.
The complainant JC MAnganti said in news reports that he was offloaded from his flight last August 2022 to Paris but was offered for this escort service.
“We do not take this lightly kaya kami po ay nakikipag ugnayan din doon sa victim para malaman po yung particulars nitong kasong ito,” Sandoval said.
“Para imbestigahan po natin if this person na nagloloko po sa kanya is an Immigration employee, saan po assigned, at kung ano ang mga detalye ng kasong ito para masampahan po natin ng appropriate charges kung sino po yung may kagagawan nito,” she added.
Sandoval said that the number of offloaded passengers can still be considered small.
“Siguro po it might be a misconception because of the recent case po nung mga issues na ‘yan. Naha-highglight rin po ‘yung ilan po sa hindi napayagan, but it’s really a small percentage,” Sandoval said.
