3 BI execs urged to go on leave

Three commissioners of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) were urged yesterday to go on leave to prevent them from influencing witnesses in a projected House inquiry into an alleged "freedom-for-sale" scam.

In making the appeal, Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, who exposed the alleged irregularity two days ago, told a news forum in Quezon City that "prudence and propriety dictate that they go on leave."

He said it was Commissioners Roy Almoro, Jose Cabochan and Teodoro Delarmente who signed the orders for the deportation in May last year of Vo Van Duc, a suspected terrorist, and Zhang Du, who was facing kidnapping charges.

"I am not passing judgment on them, but they have a lot of explaining to do on these and other questionable deportation cases. They have to clear their names," he said.

The three have said there was nothing anomalous about their orders to deport the two foreigners and that supporting papers were in order.

Barbers said the two deportees were facing charges here and it was therefore highly irregular to have them shipped out.

"They were not deported; they were allowed to go scot-free. We are not even sure if they left the country or are still here," he said.

According to Barbers, Vo Van Duc, an American citizen of Vietnamese descent, is being sought by the United States as a suspected terrorist.— Jess Diaz