Diplomats back ‘borderless justice’

MANILA, Philippines - Representatives of foreign embassies yesterday joined a fun run organized by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to launch its campaign for  “borderless justice.”

The campaign aims to increase public awareness on the government’s capability to arrest local fugitives hiding abroad.

Representatives of the embassies of the United States, Japan, and Taiwan were among the participants of the fun run.

“Criminals have no boundaries... law enforcement should also have no boundaries. If all law enforcement (agencies) will work together then criminals have no place to hide,” said James Windsor, assistant legal attaché of the US embassy.

The fun run, which was organized by the Foreign Liaison Division (FLD) of the NBI, kicked off at 6 a.m. at the Mall of Asia in Pasay City.

“There is a need to create public awareness that the government can still go after Filipino and foreign fugitives who have already left the country,” Daniel Daganzo, NBI-FLD head, said in an earlier interview.

Arnold Rosales, NBI-FLD executive officer, said the campaign would extend the arm of Philippine law to any part of the world, including countries where the Manila government has no extradition treaty.

Rosales said the process could be fast-tracked if the victims or their relatives can provide the bureau with information on the possible whereabouts of the fugitives.

“There are various legal strategies that the NBI can use to send these fugitives back here, like cancellation of their passports, which will automatically make Filipino fugitives undocumented aliens abroad,” he said.