THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) has reshuffled more than a hundred immigration inspectors in airports and seaports in the country as part of its continuing efforts to prevent corruption in its ranks.
BI Commissioner Jaime Morente said that the latest reshuffle involved some 139 immigration officers and immigration supervisors assigned at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and international airports in Mactan-Cebu, Kalibo, Clark, and Davao.
Immigration officers were also added in international seaports in Zamboanga and several border crossing stations in Palawan and Mindanao to strengthen border security in the country's southern backdoor.
The most affected by the reshuffling, according to Morente, is the BI's Travel Control and Enforcement Unit (TCEU) at the NAIA.
Morente said the TCEU, the unit who defers the departure of Filipino travelers suspected of being human trafficking and illegal recruitment victims, underwent a change from top to bottom.
The BI chief explained that by reshuffling and exposing its officers to other work functions of the bureau, they will be able to develop and enhance their potentials as civil servants.
"We intend to continually implement this job rotation scheme for our immigration officers not only as a deterrent against corruption but, more importantly, to develop their skills as gatekeepers of our country," Morente said.
The BI chief had instructed Marc Red Mariñas, the acting chief of the BI's port operations division, to periodically rotate the assignments of the bureau’s airport and seaport personnel. (Sunnex)