BI tightens screening of Dubai-bound passengers

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Immigration (BI) will “rigidly screen” passengers bound for Dubai following reports that the emirate was being used as a transit point for Filipino workers to be illegally deployed in Iraq.

Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said criminal syndicates were recruiting Filipinos by falsely claiming that the worker deployment ban to Iraq had been lifted.—JOVIC YEE