142 foreigners deported in 2008 - BI

MANILA, Philippines - The Bureau of Immigration (BI) deported last year some 142 overstaying foreigners as part of its program to decongest its overcrowded detention facility in Bicutan, Taguig. BI Commissioner Marcelino Libanan said many of those deported had been languishing for several years already at the BI detention facility. "They (foreigners) have been in jail for several years before their deportation cases were finally resolved, thus paving the way for their return to their homelands," he said. About 18 of the deportees have been in jail for more than two years for reasons such as failure to procure their plane tickets or having pending cases before Philippine courts. Libanan said some of the deportees had various criminal cases in their homelands, while others have been declared undesirable aliens for violating their stay in the country. "Many of them had refused to go back to their homeland and opted to remain in jail, believing they could stay there indefinitely and be provided with food and lodging at the government's expense," Libanan said. The immigration chief said the bureau's detention facility is “not a dormitory for illegal aliens,” adding that illegal aliens should be deported immediately barring any legal hitches to their deportation. He added that the bureau adheres to its policy of not deporting foreigners that have still pending court cases, lest the bureau's officials be accused of obstructing justice. "It has been always a standard operating procedure of the bureau to secure the necessary clearance from the courts and concerned law enforcement agencies before a deportation order is implemented," Libanan said. - GMANews.TV