MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Immigration said Tuesday it has ordered its frontline personnel to tighten the screening of foreigners arriving from Cambodia and Vietnam following reports of kidnappings and extortion activities.
BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco instructed immigration officers to refer for secondary inspection foreign nationals who have doubtful purposes of travel to the Philippines.
The bureau said the move came after law enforcement agencies reported an uptick on kidnappings and extortion activities from syndicates hailing from the said countries.
“We look at arrival trends and look for patterns. Our partnership with other law enforcement agencies allows us to see whether there is a need to tighten measures on certain types of travelers,” Tansingco said.
He added that BI’s effort to implement the advanced passenger information system would allow the agency to better look at the trends and implement measures for border security.
Last week, the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs conducted an inquiry into the reported spate of abductions. The police reported that some Philippine offshore gaming operators are involved in the kidnapping of foreign nationals.
PCol. Rodolfo Castil Jr. — head of the Philippine National Police’s Anti-Kidnapping Group — said the kidnappings of foreign nationals working in POGOs happened due to a shortage of manpower coming from mainland China. — Gaea Katreena Cabico