Will you go back to Canada?

It was more disbelief than surprise to learn how a Filipino national who frequently travels to and fro Canada got a raw deal in this country that declares to the world as a champion for human rights. This seemed to be what former Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Rodolfo Azurin Jr. personally experienced. Upon arrival last week at the Langley Regional Airport in British Columbia, Canada, Azurin was held and quizzed for alleged human rights offenses unknown to him but were grilled for it by Canadian immigration authorities.

With details still sketchy, Azurin was reportedly “detained” at the airport and questioned about his alleged involvement in the drug war during the former administration of President Rodrigo Duterte. As per international laws and protocols, or let’s just call them as standard operating procedures (SOP), a person does not lose his human rights when he or she enters legally and not violating any laws of the host country.

The 56-year-old Azurin was the first PNP chief appointed by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. (PBBM). A member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class 1989, Azurin retired as PNP chief only last April 24 this year. According to him, he went to fetch his wife who was in Canada with their relatives living there.

Azurin reportedly arrived back in Manila at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 via Singapore on board the Philippine Airlines PR 510 at 6:04 in the morning last Sept. 21. He left Manila for Canada supposedly last Sept. 17. Reports erupted last Sunday that Azurin was allegedly “deported” from Canada.

Apparently, Canadian Immigration authorities were tipped off about Azurin’s arrival because they were already waiting for him upon disembarking from his flight. As a former police officer, he supposedly obliged and cooperated with the immigration officers.

From conversations at the Kapihan sa Manila Bay breakfast news forum last Wednesday, we found from our own Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Norman Tansingco that he was also in Canada from Sept. 9 to 18. Tansingco led the Philippine delegation for the annual conference of the International Civil Aviation Association (ICAO), an agency under the United Nations.

After the ICAO conference held in Montreal until Sept. 15, Tansingco disclosed, they proceeded to a “side trip” to Vancouver where they stayed up to Sept. 18. Their counterparts from Canadian Border Services Agency invited them for inspection visit and sharing of “best practices” on the latest border control and security measures, including use of artificial intelligence and online data-sharing.

Tansingco admitted they were clueless about the incident involving Azurin. According to him, their Canadian counterparts did not tell them about the case of the ex-PNP chief.  “We have no information. We were not informed. There is no notice or information from the Canadian government, their Embassy and even the airlines whether or not Azurin was deported,” Tansingco told us at the Kapihan sa Manila Bay.

In fact, Tansingco disclosed, there was also even no “heads-up” to the BI coming from our own Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). By SOP, he cited, the DFA would be alerted about any case of Filipino national whose entry gets refused or is deported from abroad. At the very least, the Philippine Embassy at Ottawa, headed by our ambassador Maria Andrelita Austria, should have been notified about the incident.

As of this writing, the DFA is still awaiting words from them. “The Department is in touch with Canadian authorities and hopes to get a better understanding of the incident soon,” Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Maria Teresita Daza announced. “While our foreign service posts are ready to assist Filipino travelers, including former government officials, these cases have privacy issues surrounding them,” she added.

Likewise, there is no official word yet about Azurin’s case from Ambassador David Hartman of the Canadian Embassy in Manila, except to invoke also Canada’s Data Privacy Act. PBBM accepted the credentials of Hartman in January this year.

While there is no official explanation from their home government, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau himself is having problems with India, a fellow British Commonwealth nation. Canada-India relations have been rocked by Trudeau’s allegation that the Indian government assassinated Sikh independence activist, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, on Canadian soil. In apparent retaliation, India has suspended issuing visas “till further notice” to Canadian citizens amid escalating row over the killing of a Sikh separatist on Canadian soil.

Just two days ago, Mr. Trudeau officially apologized during question period in the House of Commons, admitting to his government’s “terrible error” in allowing 98-year-old Hunka Yaroslav, a World War II veteran, who fought for a Nazi unit, to sit in Parliament of Canada last week. Trudeau’s apology followed the resignation of House of Commons Speaker Anthony Rota amid the international controversy.

This is not to mention Mr. Trudeau’s domestic problems at his home. The 51-year-old Prime Minister jointly announced in August this year with his wife Sophie Gregoire that they were separating after 18 years of marriage. They have three children – 15-year-old Xavier, 14-year-old Ella-Grace and 9-year-old Hadrien – who all live with him in Ottawa. With no details on the separation, the Prime Minister’s Office requested respect for their privacy.

Our own bilateral relations with Canada stretching 75 years suffered cracks in the past.

This was after then President Duterte took offense to comments made by Mr. Trudeau about alleged human rights violations in the bloody anti-drug campaign here.

In a brief statement he issued, Azurin branded as “lies” his rumored deportation from Canada. Azurin promised though to clarify through media what really happened as soon as he returns to Manila.

By way of a joke, media might ask him if will he go back to Canada. His reply would likely be: “Sa-Ca-na-daw!”