Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Norman Tansingco on Thursday clarified that the role of the agency is to process and check the travel documents of aircraft passengers and has nothing to do with the “unauthorized departure” of a private plane at the Ninoy Aquino Internatinal Airport (NAIA).
Tansingco issued the statement after receiving reports that an unauthorized private jet was able to depart NAIA Terminal 1 last February 13, at around 10 in the evening.
The said report claims that the special flight carried passengers more than the number declared in the flight manifest.
Chartered flights fall under the category of special flights, wherein passengers are not processed in the immigration area, but are rather inspected near the aircraft.
He said that they have conducted an initial verification of the said incident with the BI NAIA Terminal 1 management.
“According to the initial report, there were 10 individuals on board the said aircraft. Seven passengers and 3 crew were listed in the manifest. All underwent derogatory checks and were compliant to immigration formalities,” he stated.
He added that an immigration officer was likewise assigned to attend to and process the passengers in the said aircraft.
An emergency meeting was called by the Office of the Transportation Security, and immigration representatives explained the role of the BI in processing departing individuals. The BI is only one of numerous agencies that inspect departing and arriving special flights. Permits on security, health, duties, and others are handled by other government agencies.
“The entrance of other individuals in the airport premises does not fall under the jurisdiction of the BI. Our officers only process passengers, following the official General Declaration,” he added.
Immigration officers are only given ramp access during Special flights together with the Quarantine and Customs officers. They are also assigned in random except during Presidential flights.
During the said meeting, it was proposed that a one-stop-shop processing center be created to harmonize border clearance procedures.
The BI highly supports this proposal, and is one with local law enforcement agencies in the fight against human trafficking. The agency appreciates any information that would lead to interceptions of attempted trafficking. Vito Barcelo