NBI, BI investigate personnel linked to illegal recruitment flights

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The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Bureau of Immigration (BI) continue to deepen their parallel investigations into the facilitation of illegal recruitment flights by their own officers.

In a "24 Oras" report by John Consulta on Friday, the agencies’ probes continue following the arrest of an NBI agent facilitating the flight of an illegal recruit through a modus operandi similar to the "pastillas" scheme.

According to the BI, questions arose over how the passenger involved obtained a boarding pass nine hours before the scheduled flight, when standard practice dictates issuing passes only three hours prior to departure.

“Very much coordinated po ‘yung nangyaring pagpapadaan sa kaniya, pag-clear sa kaniya. Itinapat talaga doon sa oras ng shift nung officer who was supposed to clear her for departure,” BI Spokesperson Atty. Anisha Hassan said.

(Her passage and clearance were very much coordinated. It was timed specifically during the shift of the officer who was supposed to clear her for departure.)

“Nung nakita po natin ‘yung boarding pass niya, she was supposed to board the gate ng 9 a.m. because that is the time of [her] flight. Ang ipinagtataka po natin, ang usual po na practice at ang standard talaga three hours before pa lang, na-iisyuhan ng boarding pass ang lahat ng passengers. So tinitignan po natin yon as point of investigation,” she added.

(When we saw her boarding pass, she was supposed to board the gate at 9 a.m. because that was her flight time. What puzzles us is that standard practice dictates issuing boarding passes to passengers only three hours before the flight. So we are looking at that as a key point in the investigation.)

The BI said the Intelligence Officer I who facilitated the recruit's passage has been relieved of duty, while additional BI personnel remain under investigation.

Hassan stated that the relieved officer reportedly worked with two accomplices.

“By the order of the Commissioner, ito pong isa na organic personnel has been ordered into a floating status po and ‘yun pong job order personnel naman, immediately terminated for service,” she added.

(By order of the Commissioner, this organic personnel has been placed on floating status, while the job order personnel was immediately terminated from service.)

The NBI explained that the group operates with dedicated recruiters, human resource handlers, briefers, and "canners" to traffic recruits out of the country.

“May naka-task naman na mag-book ng flight niya, siya ‘yung gagawa ng kanyang itinerary kung saan papunta. At meron ding magbi-brief, ‘yung magsasabi kung paano ’yung gagawin, may step-by-step na gagawin,” NBI Director Melvin Matibag explained.

(Someone is tasked with booking the flight and creating the itinerary for the destination. Another person serves as the briefer to instruct the victim on the step-by-step procedure.)

“May tinatawag na gunner. Ito ngayon yung nahuli natin. ‘Yung canner na tinatawag, ito yung immigration officer kung saan dadaan ‘yung victims ng human trafficking para makalusot,” Matibag added.

(Then there is the so-called 'gunner.' This is the person we caught—the immigration officer through whom human trafficking victims pass to sneak through inspection.)

Authorities intercepted two Filipinos facilitated by the immigration officer, stopping one prior to aircraft boarding and securing the second at a Malaysian airport.

“Nakipag-coordinate tayo sa authorities ng Malaysia at madali naman silang nagresponde doon sa ating request at na-intercept po ang ating isang kababayan doon sa Malaysia,” NBI Human Trafficking Division Chief Agent Sally Laguardia said.

(We coordinated with Malaysian authorities, who responded quickly to our request, leading to the interception of our fellow citizen in Malaysia.) —Lyjah Tiffany Bonzo/LDF, GMA News