Tansingco thanks Marcos for 2-year service in BI

Former Immigration chief Norman Tangsinco on Wednesday said he welcomes the “next man or woman” who would take the helm of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) as he thanked President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for giving him the opportunity to lead the BI for two years.

Tansingco described his tenure as “filled with optimism, challenges and determination.”

"I welcome the next man or woman the President may put at the helm of the Bureau even as I assure everyone that the BI is currently manned by a corps of dedicated professionals,” Tangsingco said in statement.

Tansingco made the statement two days after he was relieved from his post.

“Right at the get go, it has been a focused yet challenging effort to address the various concerns confronting the BI, such as controlling the borders at the international ports of entry and exit, and preventing Filipinos from being trafficked abroad, among others. Such a herculean task for an agency that is operating under a colonial-era legislation,” said Tangsinco.

“Together with the entire BI family, I am glad that we were able to push the needed reforms despite the limitations. The task is not yet fully done, but we have substantially begun,” he added.

The ex-BI chief also expressed gratitude for the BI staff and board of commissioners, the Justice Department and its offices, as well as the immigration bureau’s partners and foreign counterparts.

“To BI’s ASEAN, Australia and +3 Partners, thank you for the support and assistance that you have generously extended which resulted in enhanced partnership and cooperation on immigration concerns,” he said.

On Monday, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said the President has agreed to relieve Tansingco from his post, saying he was "not satisfied" with the Immigration official's performance and that they had a lot of problems.

Remulla last week said he was no longer in communication with Tansingco after the Immigration chief did not immediately inform the Department of Justice about the departure from the country of dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo.

Tansingco admitted that he learned of Guo’s departure on August 15. However, he said they still had to validate the information. He said he only reported the incident to Remulla and the Office of the Executive Secretary on August 20.

Remulla has designated Deputy Commissioner Attorney Joel Anthony Viado as BI's officer-in-charge. --VAL, GMA Integrated News