| AS far as the in-house media is concerned, the issue on Myanmar trafficking is a scheme that is probably as old as time. As far back as 2011, three Filipinas bound for the Middle East slipped through the immigration area of the NAIA and made it to the lounge nearest to the boarding gate of their slated flight. Reportedly, there were two immigration officers seated on a couch right in the lounge where the Pinay passengers stayed. A certain “Patrick” was also said to have been giving instructions to the three Pinays through calls and texts on what to do and where to go. The three later said during an investigation that they were made to wait for the “contact” from the immigration who will meet them up to stamp their passports right in the waiting lounge. In fairness though, fellow immigration personnel foiled the three’s departure. No news about the two immigration officers in the lounge was heard. In 2016, another Filipina was intercepted. She was disguised as a tourist and admitted that her purpose in going to Dubai was to work as a maid at the house of her niece’s Arab employer in the UAE. Found in her handbag were a departure stamp and a stamp pad which she would supposedly use to stamp her passport and boarding pass upon reaching the boarding gate and before boarding her flight. How she managed to sneak past the BI counters undetected and evade immigration inspection is worth pondering. She was previously offloaded at the Clark International Airport for being a suspected “tourist worker’” or an undocumented overseas worker disguised as a tourist and was instructed by her recruiters to make another attempt to leave the country provided she avoid inspection by immigration officers at the NAIA. Before going to the airport, she said she was briefed by her agent at a restaurant in Pasay City where she was given a fake departure stamp. In the Myanmar issue, the three “victims” were said to have used fake airport access passes purportedly as employees of an airport concessionaire to gain entry up to the boarding gates. Their passports, boarding passes, and even the immigration stamps on their passports were said to be fake. In fairness to newly installed officials — airport general manager Cesar Chiong and immigration Commissioner — the scheme had been there before their time. Any investigation into the matter must cover all aspects. From the security guards who can make anyone gain entry into the NAIA even without the required ID or access pass should they choose to, to the airport police some of whom also “assist” passengers even if this is not part of their functions. Immigration personnel deserve special focus, particularly those assigned at the NAIA since they are equipped with knowledge as to how a passenger can go straight to the boarding gate without having to queue up at the immigration counters. It is also interesting to look into how this can escape the supposed prying eyes of the BI-travel control and enforcement unit or TCEU and the Port Operations Division (PoD). Either they are in cahoots or are sleeping on the job. I was told by friends from the immigration at the NAIA who are not into the said scheme that each immigration officer has an assigned stamp bearing a number that is exclusive to the holder of that stamp. Pinpointing liability, therefore, is quite easy. All that has to be done is check on the number of the alleged fake stamp on the Myanmar passport of the supposed “victims” and everything can be traced from there. For all we know, it is not remotely possible that the stamps on the said passports are now being branded as fake because the scheme got exposed. I certainly hope I am wrong. *** Joke (from Julie Albano of Pampanga) Mister: Kung gagawa ako ng pelikula, gusto ko, ako si ZORRO! Misis : E ako, sino? Mister: Eh di si DACOS! Misis: Dacos? Sino ‘yun? Mister: DA COS of all my ZORROs!! *** DIRECT HIT entertains comments, suggestions or complaints. Please have them emailed to [email protected] or text 0917-3132168. |
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