Kidnap victim urges probe of officials involved in suspect’s deportation

Kidnap victim Jackie Tiu yesterday lauded the decision of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to transfer the case against immigration officials involved in the illegal deportation of a Chinese national accused in her kidnapping to the Office of the Ombudsman.

"I wish the Ombudsman would conduct its own inquiry and not be hoodwinked by the BI. It should not focus solely on what the BI is saying in its report — that its officers were simply negligent — because a case as big as this one is obviously a well-planned criminal act involving the complicity of several people," Tiu said.

She said the BI made a good decision in allowing the Ombudsman to file the appropriate charges against the immigration officials involved in the illegal deportation of Zhang Du, one of the suspects facing trial over her kidnapping in September 2001.

Last Tuesday, Immigration Commissioner Alipio Fernandez Jr. said he is referring the case against the involved officials to the Ombudsman.

Fernandez said the Ombudsman would determine the merits of filing administrative and criminal charges against five officials of the bureau’s detention center (BIDC) in Bicutan, Taguig City.

Those involved in the illegal deportation include BI Warden Senior Superintendent Noel Espinosa; Civil Security Unit chief Superintendent Wendy Rosario; civil security agent Erwin Librojo; confidential agent Alex Bolado; and Police Officer 2 Daniel Villanueva.

Fernandez earlier ordered the relief of all five immigration agents following an investigation conducted by the BI legal office that revealed "apparent negligence in exercising their duties to prevent the irregularities in the bureau process that resulted to the illegal deportation of Zhang Du to China."

Apart from the five, Fernandez has also terminated the services of confidential agent Joselito Pagaduan last Sept. 13.

Pagaduan reportedly escorted Zhang from the BIDC to the airport.

Tiu insisted the BI should continue its investigation of the case, claiming that Zhang’s illegal deportation should not be blamed solely on the jail warden and other agents because "a top official should be answerable for this anomaly."

Tiu virtually challenged Fernandez to prove his innocence in the case. "The commissioner being the big boss of the BI has the power and the authority. With this authority, comes responsibility and accountability," she said.

Fernandez earlier claimed he could not be blamed for the incident since he was out of the country on an official trip, leaving the BI under Associate Commissioner Teodoro Delarmente.

Delarmente likewise denied responsibility for the escape claiming he had "no personal knowledge or official information that Zhang Du was actually deported without proper authority since I (had) not received any report before or after his deportation."

Tiu stressed that the investigation should not end with mere denial of the officials because the question of who orchestrated and ordered the deportation of Zhang still remains unanswered.

Zhang was freed after he posted bail when the charge against him was reduced from principal to accessory.

But he was again arrested in 2002 when BI officials discovered that he was an illegal alien.

Since then, the Chinese national was detained at the bureau’s detention cell in Taguig City until he was mysteriously released and allowed to board a plane back to China on May 7.

Tiu already sought the help of President Arroyo and several government agencies to repatriate Zhang and bring him to trial.