36 BI jail personnel axed over detainees’ gadgets

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Immigration has relieved all 36 of its warden facility’s employees, including its head, from their posts after reports came out that Japanese detainees were allowed to use their gadgets without approval from the BI.

In a radio interview, BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval said there is a need to revamp the facility’s personnel as it appeared that illegal activities have been rampant despite more frequent raids.

Sandoval said if the illegal activities are “massive, then definitely there must be something going on. The head and all the people in the facility were replaced” by employees taken from other BI offices.

The new warden is Intelligence Officer II Leander Catalo. Sandoval declined to name the person he replaced while there is a pending investigation on how unauthorized items were able to enter the BI jail, as discovered during the raid on Tuesday.

Sandoval clarified that they allow foreign detainees to use cell phones or gadgets for a certain period of time upon the approval of the incumbent commissioner.

Japanese nationals Yuki Watanabe, Kiyoto Imamura, Toshiya Fujita and Tomonobu Kojima were detained at the BI’s warden facility in Taguig City after they were arrested by the bureau for alleged violations of the country’s immigration laws.

The four foreigners, said to be behind a series of robberies in Japan, reportedly used their gadgets for alleged illegal transactions in their country.

Sandoval said BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco has yet to issue an authorization letter to any foreign detainee for gadget use.

She said that the BI has installed closed-circuit television cameras as part of efforts to monitor the activities of jail personnel and detainees.

Asked what is taking so long to deport the four detainees, Sandoval said there are existing deportation orders, but the BI cannot implement them until the cases filed against the foreigners in the Philippines are dismissed.

In a related development, the Taguig Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 116 dismissed a case of light threats against Fujita on Feb. 1. The prosecutor’s office filed a motion to withdraw the case after the private complainant did not appear during two hearings.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said the BI will start deporting by Monday at least two of the four Japanese detainees – Fujita and Imamura, who was reportedly cleared of all legal liabilities last month.

He said they are confident the BI will be able to deport all four Japanese detainees before President Marcos flies to Japan on Feb. 8. – Romina Cabrera