Ombudsman investigating alleged BI detention scam

The Office of the Ombudsman will look into the reported "freedom for sale" being offered to detainees at the Bureau of Immigration jail.

Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez designated lawyer Ceasar Asuncion as head of the investigation.

Gutierrez ordered the probe following a privilege speech from Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers on the alleged anomalous release from detention of Zhang Du and Vo Van Duc last year.

Newspaper reports said Vo, an American national of Vietnamese descent was arrested in 2001 for being an "overstaying alien" and for engaging in unauthorized political activities in the country, was released on May 21, 2005 after acquiring Filipino citizenship.

Zhang, a Chinese national, meanwhile, has a pending kidnap-for-ransom case before the San Fernando, La Union Regional Trial Court for his involvement in the Jacky Tiu kidnap-for-ransom case.

Zhang was also allegedly released under questionable circumstances on May 7, 2005, from the BI detention center in Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan, Taguig City.

"This report should be looked into by the Office of the Ombudsman to determine its veracity, to clear the image of the Bureau of Immigration if it were untrue, and to take appropriate action if it were proven correct," said Gutierrez. — With Edu Punay