The Bureau of Immigration was placed on alert status with a focus on foreign nationals arriving at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport amid renewed terror threat.
Immigration commissioner Ronaldo Geron instructed newly appointed BI Intelligence chief Rommel de Leon to ensure that wanted foreign persons and terrorists with links to Islamic State of Iraq and Syria will not use the Philippines as their hiding place and jump-off point to their foreign targets.
De Leon, who is barely weeks old in his seat, already made his mark as the bureau’s top intelligence official when his group intercepted a Korean national wanted in his home country for various crimes, including extortion and blackmailing his countrymen living in the Philippines.
BI Deputy Intelligence Chief Cirilo Bautista identified the fugitive as Choi Yeongik, who also used fraudulent Philippine passport under a Filipino name Bryan Cruz Chua, last week.
Choi claimed that he was born in Motiong, Samar to gain easy entry at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
He also holds a Philippine driver’s license, while his Philippine passport was allegedly issued in Cebu province, according to the BI report.
The BI was also alerted after a Chinese national was held at the Naia Terminal 1 last April 7.