BI chief sacked

MANILA, Philippines - Amid persistent allegations of corruption, President Aquino has fired Siegfred Mison as commissioner of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) and replaced him with Palace official Ronaldo Geron Jr.

Aquino swore in Geron on Wednesday night, as a report of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) found Mison and 17 others liable for the repeated escapes of a South Korean detained at the BI.

Mison had denied reports that he would be fired, although he said he served at the pleasure of the President.

Prior to taking over the BI, an agency under the Department of Justice (DOJ), Geron served as deputy executive secretary for finance and administration under the Office of the President since July 2010, when Aquino assumed office.

Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. told reporters that according to Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr., Geron “has been in public service for over 20 years.”

A lawyer, the new BI commissioner also previously served as administrator and board member of the provincial government of Batangas, his home province.

Geron graduated from the University of the Philippines College of Law in 1987 and was admitted to the Bar in 1988.

Coloma said the performance of immigration officials is always “subject to the evaluation” of the DOJ chief, in this case Secretary Benjamin Caguioa, who exercises supervisory powers over attached agencies like the BI and the National Bureau of Investigation.

It would be up to Aquino, however, to retain presidential appointees like the BI chief.

Highly reliable sources say Caguioa will be appointed in March to the Supreme Court, following the retirement of Justice Martin Villarama who opted for early retirement for health reasons.

In turn, DOJ’s newly appointed undersecretary, lawyer Emmanuel Caparas, who is also a classmate of Aquino and Caguioa at the Ateneo from grade school to college (economics), will be taking over the DOJ until June 30 this year, when Aquino concludes his six-year term.

The NBI has found Mison and 17 others liable for the escape of South Korean fugitive Cho Seongdae last year.

The NBI has recommended the filing of administrative charges of grave misconduct against Mison and BI guard Juan Rafael Ortega.

Criminal charges for evasion through negligence or violation of Article 224 of Revised Penal Code were recommended against BI security guards and several members of the military.

Geron started his first day in office yesterday even though there was no formal turnover after sacked commissioner Mison just issued a statement welcoming Geron as the new BI chief and asking the BI to cooperate with the new bureau chief.

“I encourage everyone in the bureau to give as much cooperation and teamwork as they had given me the past four and a half years to the new commissioner,” Mison said.

The ousted BI chief also expressed his gratitude to President Aquino for giving him the opportunity to serve in his administration. “On my part, I did what I could to follow the straight path with much dedication expected from any public servant.” 

Administrative and personnel matters, and not the controversies surrounding the escape of the Korean fugitive, were the first on the agenda of Geron when he reported to the agency’s main office in Intramuros, Manila yesterday morning.

It was close to 10 a.m. when Geron arrived at the BI and called for a meeting with associate commissioners Abdullah Mangotara and Gilberto Repizo, executive director Eric Dimaculangan and the division heads.

Geron said he missed the opportunity to talk with Mison and would try to set up a meeting at the soonest possible time.

“I am extending my hand out to commissioner Mison. I would want to meet him, seek his advice because he is a good man. He is an officer and a gentleman. I received word about his statement and I am thanking him for the well wishes that he sent,” he added.

Repizo, who had been at odds with Mison over some controversial cases including that of Chinese national Wang Bo, refused to comment on the change in leadership.

“We will just move forward,” he said.

Around lunchtime Geron was given a tour of the building. “This is my first day here and I need to familiarize myself,” said Geron.

He has also planned on a working lunch with the BI officials. “The first order of the day is to review the personnel complement, staffing and budget,” he said.

Today he will meet members of the BI’s employees union and expressed his intention to see firsthand the operations at the airports in the coming days. With Edu Punay, Evelyn Macairan