BI reassigns officer over traveler’s missed flight

MANILA, Philippines — The immigration officer accused of conducting a lengthy interview that caused a Filipina traveler to miss her flight in December last year has been relieved from his post, Bureau of Immigration (BI) spokesperson Dana Sandoval said yesterday.

“Because of this incident, he has been relieved from his post. So he has been reassigned to a back-end office as a result of this incident,” Sandoval said in a television interview when asked about the bureau’s disciplinary action on the officer involved.

Cham Tanteras posted on social media that an immigration officer, whom she identified as “Officer Abdullah,” allegedly asked her questions that included her parents’ marital status and told her to provide her yearbook and graduation photos.

Reacting to Sandoval’s statement, Tanteras asked if the officer would simply be returned to his former assignment after the investigation when “it’s clear how I missed my flight because of his negligence so I don’t think bringing him in the back office is a form of reprimand.”

She said she lost P19,000 when she missed her flight and had to spend another P27,0000 to rebook her flight the next day.

Asked if she raised her concern with the BI after she missed her flight, she said she did not bother because she was still planning to fly the next day.

Tanteras said she did not want the BI “to have another reason to hold me more.”

She stressed that she had written the BI a letter asking for financial damages.

“This should be a wake-up call for the (BI) to cut the abuse in terms of future travelers and that includes me,” Tanteras added.

Sandoval said a miscommunication led to the incident. She stressed that travelers are not required to provide yearbook and graduation photos when passing through immigration counters.

Sandoval explained that immigration officers usually look at passengers’ documents, statement and demeanor before recommending them for a secondary interview.