Charlie ‘Atong’ Ang. INQUIRER FILE
A former policeman escorted Charlie “Atong” Ang, actress Gretchen Barreto and company through the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) when they arrived from a trip to Bangkok, Thailand, on Sunday, a Bureau of Immigration (BI) memorandum said.
A certain “retired SPO4 Ciriaco Peralta” told BI personnel under the Border Control and Intelligence Unit (BCIU) that he would be escorting Ang, who was with Barreto, according to the memo by Marc Red Mariñas, acting chief of the Port Operations Division (POD).
Peralta “approached the BCIU on duty informing that he will be assisting Mr. Ang,” said the memo submitted to Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente.
The BI said Peralta allegedly wore a pass from the airport’s pass control office when he met Ang, Barreto and company and escorted them to the immigration counter of the NAIA 1 terminal.
The report described Peralta as “a media practitioner” and added that he was “reportedly an employee of the Rustan’s retail stores.”
Meanwhile, Ang is a businessman engaged in gaming. He operates an online jai alai numbers game through Meridien Vista Gaming Corp.
The BI ordered an investigation following reports that Ang, Barreto and their companions were given VIP treatment at the airport.
Mariñas stressed that no immigration officer or BI or POD employee was involved in escorting Ang and Barreto.
Morente said that he would ask Manila International Airport Authority General Manager Ed Monreal to investigate the incident and take appropriate action to prevent its recurrence in the future.
Subsequently, the BI on Wednesday reminded its men that they were prohibited from giving VIP treatment to passengers.
Morente said immigration areas in all international airports nationwide were off limits to unauthorized persons.
In his memorandum, Mariñas reminded bureau personnel to strictly observe the “no travel facilitation, no loafing and no loitering” policy.
He warned that employees who disobey the directive will be dealt with severely and meted with stiff disciplinary action. CBB