MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino has appointed newly retired Armed Forces chief Ricardo David as the new immigration commissioner and tasked him to undertake reforms in the bureau just like he did in the military.
“Mr. David’s integrity and professionalism will be instrumental in the efforts of the immigration authorities to cleanse its ranks and purge its services of past abuses and misuse of authority. The President is pleased that Mr. David is taking on these new challenges in the civilian sphere,” presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said in a press briefing in Malacañang yesterday.
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) is an attached agency of the Department of Justice and is currently headed by an officer-in-charge, Rolando Ledesma.
Lacierda said David would assume his post on Monday. He added it was the President who “signified his intentions to retain Mr. David in public service” after his retirement from the military last March 8 and that Aquino was happy that the former chief of staff accepted his offer.
“When he was chief of staff he brought a new image with respect to the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines). Remember there were concerns on corruption, there were concerns on the involvement of the military in extrajudicial killings. Those things have been resolved by the general and, in fact, he is very open, if you remember he was the one who urged the military officials to testify before the Senate and House hearings,” Lacierda said.
“We would expect General David (to) continue his management ability in immigration... to firm up and make sure that the agency is cleansed of its corrupt officials. This is, by the way, in line of our promise of a straight path and good governance,” Lacierda said.
Lacierda said David would be coterminous with the President and that Ledesma would likely be back as chief of the Board of Special Inquiry.
Lacierda clarified that David’s appointment did not have any connection with the deportation of 14 Taiwanese nationals that caused a diplomatic rift between Taiwan and the Philippines.
“President Aquino said it was too early for Gen. David to retire. He was very pleased with his performance as the AFP chief of staff. He feels that his services are still needed in the government so he decided to appoint Gen. David as commissioner of immigration,” Lacierda said, adding that Ledesma was just serving in acting capacity anyway.
“There was an intention to really find a permanent head of the commission on immigration. Nobody else was considered because he wanted Gen. David,” he said.
Lacierda said the President would like the “rotten system” in the BI to be changed.
“Gen. David will look into one of the biggest concerns of the government – human trafficking,” Lacierda said.
He also said David would make sure that no illegal aliens would be able to come to the country.
Greater heights
The military welcomed yesterday the appointment of David as immigration commissioner and is confident that he would do well in his first civilian assignment.
Armed forces spokesman Brig. Gen. Jose Mabanta Jr. said David’s more than 37 years of military experience would be useful since immigration duties would entail law enforcement activities.
“I think he will be able to bring BI to greater heights,” Mabanta told The STAR in a phone interview.
“He (David) is certainly qualified for the job. He was able to hone his law enforcement in the armed forces,” he added.
Mabanta is optimistic that David would introduce reforms to the immigration bureau.
“We have known Gen. David to be a man of integrity, someone who is honorable and is after the attainment of his mission. He has initiated reforms in all his positions in the armed forces,” he said.
On Tuesday, The STAR reported that President Aquino would appoint David as commissioner of the BI after he retires from the military service.
Sources told The STAR David was offered the post two weeks ago.
Last month, Aquino revealed that he was asking David to occupy a civilian post after he hangs up his uniform. David had expressed willingness to take Aquino’s offer.
“He (Aquino) asked me if I want to serve under him. I said yes. I said I am still young, Mr. President. If I still have a use in your government, then I am very willing to serve,” he said.
A member of Philippine Military Academy class ’77, David held key military posts including commander of the 50th Infantry Battalion, 402nd Infantry Brigade, 4th Infantry Division and the Northern Luzon Command.
He completed the basic management course from the Asian Institute of Management and has a master’s in Business Administration from Xavier University in Cagayan de Oro.
Good soldier
Ledesma, for his part, yesterday said he would follow the orders of Malacañang and hand over the agency leadership to David.
“I was informed about Gen. David’s appointment last Tuesday night,” Ledesma said.
When asked for his comment on the sudden change, Ledesma said, “I have no sentiments (on the matter). Whatever the President says, I will follow. We should always respect the decision of the President.”
He also said he was unaware if the appointment of David was related to the deportation of 14 Taiwanese to China. “I do not know. They did not give any reasons for the appointment of Gen. David.”
Ledesma, appointed as BI officer-in-charge on July 29 last year, said that once David assumes the position as BI commissioner on Monday,
he would return to his old position as chairman of the agency’s Board of Special Inquiry.
There are, however, speculations that Ledesma would be appointed as special assistant to the commissioner.
When asked if he would make any suggestions to David, the outgoing BI head said he would leave it to the incoming commissioner to make his own decisions.
During the eight months that he served as OIC, Ledesma implemented reforms in the agency to curb illegal activities in the bureau. Among these reforms were the removal of intelligence officers and the reduction of confidential agents from 1,000 down to almost 300.
Meanwhile, the Pilipino Manpower Agencies Accredited to Taiwan (Pilmat) welcomed the appointment of David to the BI.
“The removal of Acting Commissioner Ledesma principally responsible for the deportation of 14 Taiwanese to China may be the punitive action Taiwan is asking as a form of apology,” said Pilmat president Jackson Gan. – With Alexis Romero, Evelyn Macairan