NBI, BI personnel probed over alleged involvement in illegal recruitment flights

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Bureau of Immigration (BI) are continuing 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. “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. 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. 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. “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. 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. —Lyjah Tiffany Bonzo/LDF, GMA News