100 BI agents tapped to help in intelligence, airport screening during APEC

MANILA, Philippines — One hundred personnel of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) will form part of the coordinating team, intelligence-gathering, and airport screening during the 2015 Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Meeting next week.

BI Commissioner Siegfred Mison said the bureau has been working closely with government agencies under the committee on security, peace and order and emergency-preparedness of the APEC National Organizing Committee.

“We have extended courtesies and afforded less stringent requirements for the APEC delegates and their companions,” shared Mison. Some of the waivers include the non-imposition of the six-month passport validity requirement and the presentation of a confirmed outbound ticket.

The BI has also strengthened the linkage to the Interpol’s derogatory database in order to enhance border security and efficiency at major international ports.

“To reinforce this capacity, Interpol has provided state-of-the-art scanning and database equipment referred to as the Mobile Interpol Network Database, or the MIND. By swiping the passport through the scanner, the identification of the passenger is cross-checked among the 50 million records in Interpol’s database, composed of fugitives, sex offenders, and lost passports from 190 member countries of the Interpol,” said Mison in a statement.  SFM