‘Escort service’ offered at NAIA – BI

MANILA, Philippines - Aside from the tanim-bala (bullet planting) incidents at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), the Bureau of Immigration (BI) warned yesterday airline passengers of an ongoing extortion racket in which unscrupulous people would pretend to be Immigration personnel providing “escort service.”

In a statement, BI Commissioner Siegfred Mison said the public, especially overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), should not deal with fake BI agents who are only out to extort money. 

The warning came after a post on social media about an airport employee who claimed to be a BI officer and solicited money from an OFW in exchange for escort services. 

Earlier this month, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) agents arrested Phil Balicuat and Emmanuel Salvador for posing as BI agents and extorting money from a Malaysian working in Pasay City.

“We do not tolerate such activities within our ranks,” said Mison. “We are appealing to the public to report anyone who tries to extort money by using the name of the bureau.  We have been working so hard to improve our services, and we will not let these crooks ruin the name of the BI through their illegal activities.” 

He added that all immigration personnel are required to wear their nameplates and identification cards for easy reference, aside from carrying and presenting mission orders during a raid or inspection.

Meanwhile, the Department of Justice (DOJ) clarified that the government is not downplaying the bullet-planting incidents at the NAIA, following a report that quoted President Aquino as saying the incidents have been “sensationalized” to benefit some groups. – With Edu Punay