BI sacks officer linked to human trafficking activities

MANILA, Philippines - An Immigration officer allegedly involved in human trafficking activities in the Ninoy Aquino International Airport has been relieved from post, Immigration Commissioner Marcelino Libanan said Thursday.

Currently being investigated at the Bureau of Immigration (BI) main office in Intramuros, Manila is Immigration Officer Mindaya Ombawa, who is being linked in the foiled departure of 17 undocumented workers for Syria and Jordan last Wednesday.

"We will never condone the involvement of any of our personnel in human trafficking. Such practice warrants the stiffest penalty, it's like exposing women to abuse and exploitation in foreign lands," Libanan said in a statement.

However, he assured that Ombawa will be afforded due process in the investigation and the opportunity to defend herself, including the right to engage the services of a lawyer.

Libanan said Ombawa has been recalled back to her mother unit, the BI's Immigration Regulation Division, where she will be reporting pending result of investigation.

Spearheading the investigation against Ombawa is NAIA-BI chief supervisor Ferdinand Sampol.

Last Wednesday, agents from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) apprehended 17 undocumented workers, most of them minors, who were about to board a Cebu Pacific Airlines flight bound for Hongkong enroute to the Middle East.

Investigation showed that the minors were from Maguindanao and Cotabato in Mindanao and their passports were tampered through photo substitution of their lookalikes.

The NBI also arrested two suspected illegal recruiters, identified only as "Teng" and "Toni," who are said to be the ones who recruited the minors.

The two were arrested inside Ombawa's car following a car chase just outside of the airport's compound.

Further investigation revealed that it was Ombawa, assigned at the old NAIA terminal, gave instructions to the passengers to check in at the airline counters and proceed to her own counter for their departure clearances. - GMANews.TV

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