The Bureau of Immigration logo is superimposed over the airport scene. INQUIRER.net FILES
MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Immigration (BI) will be reshuffling its ranks after three immigration officers were linked to human trafficking syndicates, said BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval on Friday.
The BI recently relieved three immigration officers — two from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and one from the Clark International Airport — for suspected ties with human trafficking syndicates.
READ: BI relieves 2 personnel over alleged ties to human trafficking ring
“Magkakaroon ng reshuffling ng ating mga hanay; magpapalit po ng ilang mga tao doon po sa ating paliparan following po these incidents,” Sandoval said in a public briefing.
[There will be a reshuffling of our ranks; some people will be changed there at our airport following these incidents.]
Sandoval said the BI is now looking into the alleged links of the three immigration officers to human trafficking syndicates operating in Cambodia and Myanmar.
READ: BI: Axed officers may be linked to trafficking rings in Cambodia, Myanmar
The BI is also investigating how many of its personnel are involved in the illegal activity both “internally and externally” to get to the root cause of the problem.
“Kahit magtanggal tayo ng immigration officers that are involved in illegal activities, nandiyan pa rin iyong illegal recruiter na nagbabarangay-barangay para maghanap po ng mga biktima,” Sandoval said.
[Even though we fire immigration officers involved in illegal activities, illegal recruiters still go to barangays in search of their next victims.]
“Ang gusto po natin, iyong ugat po ng ganitong salot ay talagang mahuli at makulong po itong mga illegal recruiters na ito,” she added.
(We want to get to the root cause of this problem and apprehend all illegal recruiters.) — Niña Cuasay, INQUIRER.net trainee