Recently, some members of the Chinese-Filipino community in Manila have raised urgent concerns about reports of illegal entrants from China finding their way into Chinatown.
Whether this is true or not, we in the city government will definitely not tolerate it or allow them to be harbored in Manila.
Our city cannot be associated just because we are host to the biggest Chinatown district in the country, or maybe, even the world.
My and their take on the matter is that these illegal entrants will not be in existence without the help of some people in high places.
At this point, it may be opportune to discuss another issue being raised by the said concerned members from the city’s Chinese-Filipino community in connection with the said issue.
According to them, a key official from the main office of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) is into the habitual facilitation of the entry of Chinese nationals into the country, in his own, personal capacity but using his position in government.
This official, according to them, does the facilitation personally, to the chagrin of immigration personnel at the airports who witness the shameful deed.
The said airport immigration personnel are dismayed that they are left with no choice but to stamp the passports and of course allow the entry of the ‘escorted’ Chinese nationals without question.
If it were lower-ranking personnel doing the facilitation, it would have been understandable, although it is not allowed just the same.
But for a ranking BI official to do so, meaning, personally appearing at the airports and escorting the arriving Chinese nationals, it is the height of impropriety, to say the least.
The said key official from the head office of the BI must be not that busy for him to have time to ‘escort’ Chinese nationals upon their arrival at the airport.
Apparently, he is flexing his position to ensure that his ‘guests’ are not subjected to rigid screening or to thwart the possibility of exclusion.
This act is highly deplorable and sets a bad precedent and a very bad example before the eyes of all immigration personnel manning the counters at the airports.
Who would dare question an arriving foreign national, knowing that a high-ranking official from your very own office is escorting the said alien?
I was told that this illegal practice had been going on since the said official got appointed.
Immigration personnel on the other hand, are left with no choice but to protest in silence.
It is high time that the Department of Justice, headed by Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, be informed about this so he could initiate the necessary actions and put a stop to the said BI official’s shameful activities.
The immigration personnel assigned at the airports are so disgruntled, saying the flagrant facilitation being done by a key official is a degradation and an insult to their uniform and the office they represent.
Here’s hoping that DOJ Secretary Remulla will conduct a no-nonsense probe on the matter and finally put an end to it. It’s so cheap.
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