To thwart entry of foreign terrorists via the southern backdoor

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) is hiring new personnel who will man and augment its border crossing stations in the South to bolster its campaign in thwarting the entry of illegal aliens, including foreign terrorists, via the backdoor.

Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente disclosed yesterday that a total of 36 immigration border crossing officers will be hired for deployment to six border crossing stations operated by the BI in Mindanao and Palawan.

These stations are located in the ports of Brooke’s Point and Balabac in Palawan; Tibanban, Davao Oriental; Batuganding, Davao del Sur; and the islands of Taganak and Bongao in Tawi-Tawi.

Foreigners who enter and exit the country via these ports are mostly Malaysians and Indonesians who are engaged in barter, fishing and other commercial trading activities.

Morente said each of these ports will be manned by six additional border crossing officers who will monitor and board and inspect travelers aboard sea crafts that regularly cross the country’s borders with Malaysia and Indonesia.

They are also mandated to coordinate with elements of other law enforcement units in their areas, such as the Coast Guard, Philippine Navy and PNP Maritime Group, in the discharge of their duties as border control officers of the government.

According to Marc Red Mariñas, BI port operations division chief, the need to beef up manpower of the BI’s border crossing stations in the South has become imperative due to the reported entry of foreign jihadists who had linked up with local terrorist groups.

Source:
courtesy of MANILA BULLETIN

by Jun Ramirez

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