BAP sec-gen arrested, charges harassment

Immigration agents yesterday arrested former Basketball Association of the Philippines secretary-general Graham Lim at the BAP office in the Philippine Sports Commission Bldg. in Vito Cruz, Manila.

Operatives of the bureau’s Intelligence and Investigation Division (IID) served Lim’s arrest order, reportedly signed by acting commissioner Jose de Leon Cabochan in the absence of commissioner Alipio Fernandez. The arrest was made in line with the deportation order against the former BAP official that has been made final as early as four months ago. Fernandez was reportedly confined at the St. Luke’s Hospital.

Lim did not resist arrest although he maintained that it was "purely political harassment."

"I was born here, I’m a Filipino citizen and I’ve done nothing wrong, why would they arrest me?" said Lim in Filipino.

He was brought to the BI main office in Intramuros and was later transferred to the bureau’s detention center in Bicutan as provided for in the warrant of deportation order earlier issued against him by Fernandez.

"He will be temporarily detained in Bicutan as we prepare all clearances and necessary travel documents for his deportation," said Immigration Intelligence chief Faizal Hussin.

"I have long been waiting for this to happen to let everyone know that this is political harassment solely to ruin the BAP," he said. "But it doesn’t end here."

Philippine Olympic Committee spokesman Joey Romasanta said they have nothing to do with the arrest, stressing it was a personal matter for Lim. ‘The BAP is no longer part of the POC, there’s nothing we can do about it because it’s a personal matter for Graham," said Romasanta.

Lim, who claimed he was born in Binondo, Manila, appealed to Sen. Richard Gordon, committee chairman on immigration laws, to look into his case.

"I’m appealing to Senator Gordon to investigate this," Lim said.

Deportation will take place two weeks after the arrest, plus the time it would take for the BID to coordinate with its Chinese Taipei counterpart, which would issue Lim’s travel documents.

The order became final and executory when Malacañang denied with finality Lim’s repeated appeal last Nov. 9.

In affirming the BI order, the Palace sustained the BID findings that Lim violated immigration laws by misrepresenting himself as Filipino and acquiring his RP passport fraudulently.

According to BAP secretary Neth Mendoza, the arresting group headed by Hajji Israel Abdullah, arrived at noon yesterday and invited Lim for questioning.