BI employee relieved for ‘escort’ service

MANILA, Philippines - An employee of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) assigned at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) who allegedly escorted a Taiwanese on the immigration blacklist has been relieved.

Immigration Commissioner Ricardo David Jr. said yesterday Alden Yap Bait was reassigned to the BI main office in Intramuros, Manila.

David said Bait allegedly aided Taiwanese national Wu Chun Yung in entering the country.

He said administrative and criminal charges would be filed against Bait if proven guilty.

David asked Bait to explain in 72 hours why he should not be administratively charged and dismissed from the service in connection with the incident.

Bait would be placed under preventive suspension pending investigation of his case by the BI’s board of discipline.

Footage of the closed circuit television camera at NAIA showed Bait escorting Wu last April 7. Bait was also seen motioning to the passenger to pass through an unmanned immigration counter that enabled him to evade inspection.

However, immigration agents arrested Wu before he could reach the Customs area.

Wu was placed on the immigration blacklist on March 13 after he was turned away by immigration officers at the Clark International Airport for being profiled as a threat to national security, public health and safety.

Wu first attempted to re-enter the country with a different passport at the NAIA Terminal 3 last March 29.

The Taiwanese said he paid an undisclosed amount of money to a friend in Taiwan who claimed he could arrange his return to Manila without being detected by immigration authorities.