BI reshuffles intel officers at NAIA

MANILA, Philippines — Nearly 100 intelligence officers of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) stationed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) were reshuffled as part of measures to improve services and prevent corruption at the country’s premier airport, an official announced yesterday.

BI Port Operations Division chief Grifton Medina said 96 agents and job order employees assigned to the bureau’s border control and intelligence unit (BCIU) at the NAIA were affected by the revamp.

Medina said Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente ordered the reshuffle of the BCIU personnel, whose primary tasks are to monitor foreign passengers and assist BI officers in detecting suspected human trafficking victims.

“We are continuously rotating our airport personnel to re-energize our workforce, eliminate boredom and enable them to take on new tasks and responsibilities,” Medina said.

He noted that the BCIU personnel at the NAIA have not been reshuffled for nearly three years.

“They have been reporting to only one of the three NAIA terminals,” he said.

Medina said they would reshuffle the assignments of the BCIU personnel on a quarterly basis, similar to the rotation scheme being implemented for BI officers manning immigration booths at airport.

Three weeks ago, the BI revamped 513 immigration officers assigned to immigration counters at the NAIA.

Medina said the rotation of the BI officers was long overdue as they had to wait for the lifting of the ban on transfer of government employees during the midterm elections.

“We are planning to synchronize the movement of immigration officers with the BCIU personnel,” he said.