BI port ops not round-the-clock, agency says amid reports of illegal workers’ entry

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) does not have round-the-clock operations at ports, the agency said Thursday amid reports of the entry of illegal drugs and Chinese POGO workers in the country.

During a Senate Committee hearing, Senator Raffy Tulfo raised reports of Chinese citizens entering and leaving the country via dredging vessels.

BI Deputy Chief of Operations for Bay Service Section Michelle Tadeo said the shipmaster must notify BI whenever its crew plans to temporarily get off the vessel.

But when Tulfo asked how BI ensures that vessels notify them, especially at night, Tadeo said the agency does not operate for 24 hours at port.

“Doon natin nakita yung vunerability ninyo,” Tulfo said.

(That's where we saw your vulnerability.)

“Ang mino-monitor namin is yung crew changes like yung dineclare nilang nag-join na crew and yung bumaba at nag-sign off. Doon namin namo-monitor kung consistent yung number of crew na na-record namin doon sa paalis na crew na barko,” Tadeo said.

(We monitor the crew changes like the ones they declared to have joined the crew and those who got off and signed off. We are monitoring if the number of crew we recorded is consistent with the crew of the departing ship.)

Tadeo also admitted that BI is incapable of searching every part of the ship to ensure that there are no unregistered persons in the vessel.

“Admittedly, hindi namin nagagawa yung paghalughog sa lahat ng parts ng barko,” Tadeo said.

(Admittedly, we are not able to search all parts of the vessel.)

“Nakita natin yung kahinaan ng systema sa pag-i-inspect, yan siguro ang isa sa dahilan kung bakit nagkalat ang mga droga dito; ang daming mga Chinese na nagtatrabaho sa POGO na hindi registered; or yung mga POGO na may kaso dito ay pwede tumakas sa mga barko na iyon,” Tulfo said.

(We have seen the flawed inspection system. That is probably one of the reasons why drugs are rampant here; there are a lot of unregistered Chinese POGO workers here; or POGO workers facing charges can escape on those ships.)

In August, 33 workers from the raided POGO hubs in Bamban, Tarlac and Pasay City were deported for being undesirable aliens due to a lack of permits and visas.

In the same month, the Bureau of Customs Port District of Clark seized P17.169 million worth of high-grade marijuana concealed in sofas.

Tadeo asked for assistance from the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in inspecting the ships docked and leaving the ports.

The PCG said it is willing to deploy its K9 units and personnel to help in the inspection of vessels. — BM, GMA Integrated News