Teacher accused in students’ deaths free to leave – BI

MANILA, Philippines - A Manila regional trail court stopped the Bureau of Immigration (BI) from implementing a lookout bulletin against a Canadian teacher accused of being responsible for the drowning of two students in Bataan last year, an official said yesterday.

In a statement, BI spokesman Antonette Mangrobang said Susan Ward Rigby left the country on July 8, but there was no hold departure order preventing her from leaving the country.

She said that on Sept. 17, 2012, Rigby was included in the BI’s lookout list upon the directive of Justice Secretary Leila de Lima.

But last July 2, Mangrobang said a Manila court granted Rigby’s petition for a temporary restraining order (TRO) against the lookout bulletin. 

The court reportedly ruled that the status quo be maintained and ordered the Department of Justice and the BI to stop implementing the lookout bulletin against Rigby.

Rigby’s petition for TRO was granted after she posted a P500,000 cash bond and an undertaking from her and the Cebu International School that she will appear in court when required, Mangrobang said.

She added that Rigby posted bail on July 1 on charges of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide filed against her. 

Meanwhile, Mangrobang added that the immigration officer who allowed Rigby to fly out of the country was already removed from his post for not following the proper procedure in dealing with passengers whose names are in the BI’s lookout list.

Immigration officer Robert Noblefranca was also directed to explain why he allowed Rigby to leave without informing his supervisor and not notifying higher authorities about the Canadian’s impending departure.

“The standard operating procedure is that once a subject of a lookout bulletin is encountered, the immigration officer shall immediately relay the information to the Office of the DOJ Secretary, Office of the Prosecutor General and National Bureau of Investigation,” Mangrobang said.