The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Friday afternoon conducted a back-to-back raid on its detainees in its Taguig and Muntinlupa holding facility.
The double crackdown comes after statements of deported Russian vlogger Vitaly Zdorovetskiy that he had access to his mobile phone while in detention. Whle the incident happened sometime in June or July and that raids and confiscations have been conducted in between, another mass raid was seen as needed following the latest information.
The raid forms part of the BI’s efforts to make sure that the facilities remain free of drugs and other illegal paraphernalia.
The operation was headed by the BI’s intelligence division under Jun Manahan, in coordination with the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) and the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor).
Manahan said all rooms, quarters and areas were thoroughly searched and swept of any contraband including unauthorized cash, cellphones, gadgets, electronic devices, cigarettes and e-cigarettes, knives and other sharp objects, including gambling cards and paraphernalia.
The BI earlier shared that Zdorovetskiy’s companion, foreign national Malik Dejoun Okojie, was found to be involved in smuggling cellphones inside the facility through the assistance of his Filipina wife.
Three personnel found to be involved in cellphone smuggling have been sacked, with one contractual agent terminated and one officer and one staff relieved pending investigation.
BI spokesperson Dana Ssandoval said that while the BI warden’s facility is not a jail but a temporary holding area for foreigners facing deportation, the use of gadgets is highly regulated and mobile phones are only allowed to be used to contact the deportee’s family members, embassy or counsel.
