Court orders BI intel chief reinstated

The Court of Appeals. FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines–The Court of Appeals has ordered the reinstatement of the Bureau of Immigration’s (BI’s) longtime intelligence chief who claims he was unjustly transferred and demoted by Justice Secretary Leila de Lima three years ago.

In a 13-page decision dated Sept. 5, the appellate court’s Special 14th Division threw out De Lima’s petition for review that questioned the Civil Service Commission’s order to reinstate lawyer Faisal Hussin as head of the BI intelligence division and reimburse his representation and transportation allowance.

The other division members, Justices Franchito Diamante and Amy Lazaro-Javier, concurred in the ruling.

Hussin was appointed intelligence chief in July 2003 by then Justice Secretary Simeon Datumanong. In March 2011, De Lima issued an order replacing Hussin with lawyer Antonette Bucasas-Mangrobang.–Jerome Aning