Bureau of Immigration cites government efforts vs human trafficking

MANILA, Philippines – After being criticized for its alleged poor efforts to combat human trafficking, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) sent a letter to US Ambassador Kristie Kenney citing measures it implemented to help address the global problem.

In his two-page letter, BI Regulation Division (BRD) chief Edgardo Mendoza assured Kenny that the bureau “is very serious in continuously and steadfastly implementing measures against human trafficking.”

Mendoza noted that last year, the BI barred 1,025 Filipinos from leaving the country as many of them were believed potential victims of illegal recruitment. On the other hand, 261 foreigners were not allowed to enter the country and sent back to their countries of origin.

“These numbers speak of a level of vigilance at the country’s international ports of entry/exit never experienced in the past in view of the dramatic reforms in systems and procedures using technology and improved personnel attitude to work,” he said.

The bureau has also upgraded its technology such as installation of close circuit television (CCTV) cameras to monitor activities of its personnel and the public in its National Operations Center in main offices of all major international entry/exit points.

It also introduced technologically advanced equipment such as passport readers, upgraded its automation systems at BI counters for passenger processing, and enhanced the bureau’s capability in detecting fraudulent and spurious travel documents and monitoring and recording travel records.

With these innovations, Mendoza explained that they have improved the processing time to a maximum of 45 seconds per passenger, giving the Immigration officers more opportunity to profile a passenger.

The BI, he added, has beefed up its coordination with members of the international intelligence community, local and foreign enforcement units, and other government agencies.

“On the alleged several reports of Immigration officials involved in the trafficking of Filipinos overseas, the BI respectfully requests for information on specific cases of such Immigration officials so appropriate and immediate measures can be undertaken,” he said.

It can be recalled that after three years in the Tier 2 category of countries, the Philippines was placed in the Tier 2 watchlist by the US State Department in its 2009 Trafficking in Persons Report. The report was released last June 16.

Tier 2 means a country is making significant efforts to fully comply with minimum standards against human trafficking, while Tier 2 watchlist indicates the country has not made any significant progress in convincing offenders.

Random checking

Meantime, the government is set to undertake random inspection of travel documents of departing overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in a move to stop illegal deployment and human trafficking in the country.

Manalili said she already discussed with the BI measures to prevent “uploading” and “escorting” of undocumented Filipino workers.

“We agreed to conduct random inspection to ensure that all departing workers would have the necessary working visas and other necessary document for legal employment abroad,” Manalili said.

Manalili added that the POEA is also undertaking investigation into the reported use of “reproduced” job orders that enable Filipino domestic workers to leave the country by using job orders for other vacancies.

POEA anti-illegal recruitment office director Melchor Dizon said the agency is also ready to suspend the license of any recruitment firm which will be found using reprocessed job orders.

“We are also looking at the liability of foreign employers who will hire workers with reprocessed job orders. We can blacklist these employers to stop them from hiring more Filipino workers,” Dizon said.

As this developed, the non-government organization Blas Ople Policy Center called on the government to disprove the US government report on the country’s failure to address human trafficking.

“We have been assisting several victims and we as an NGO can attest that the alleged support mechanisms, as cited in the law, to help them are virtually non-existent,” center head Susan Ople said.

Ople also disclosed that a Singaporean national that uses the alias “Alfred Lim” has been victimizing Filipino women deployed to Kuala Lumpur with the connivance of local agents who are paid from P3,000 to P5,000 per recruit.

Lim’s recruits reportedly leave the country through the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport in Pampanga with the help of immigration escorts.

Lim is said to own a recruitment agency in Kuala Lumpur and is married to a Malaysian national.

The Center supports the US State Department’s recommendation for the Philippine government to dedicate more resources and efforts to prosecute trafficking cases. — With Mayen Jaymalin