CONFIRMING reports, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima issued an order on Tuesday appointing Siegfred Mison as officer-in-charge of the Bureau of Immigration following the resignation of Commissioner Ricardo David last week.
Taking Mison’s place for the meantime as associate commissioner is lawyer Ronaldo Ledesma, who served as BI OIC prior to David’s appointment in March 2011.
Under Department Order 504, De Lima said Mison cannot determine policy, approve long-term contracts and transactions, appoint and fire personnel, and “other matters that go beyond acts of mere supervision or administration or are, by their nature, essentially within the authority of the Secretary of Justice.”
“This order takes effect immediately, and shall remain in force and effect until revoked or modified or until a new Commissioner is appointed by the President,” the document stated.
Mison hails from De Lima’s hometown Camarines Sur. He is a graduate of the elite US Military Academy at West Point and has a Masters degree in law from the University of Southern California.
Reports said Mison was reprimanded by the Office of the Ombudsman last year for padding his gas consumption and toll fee expenses by submitting other receipts for other vehicles in 2011.
David left his job amid the escape of high-profile fugitives but Malacañang denied this on Tuesday.
He said “several unfortunate incidents and controversies” have taken place and undermined his anti-corruption campaign.
“As head of the BI, I take responsibility for these incidents that involved people who continued to resist the reforms that we labored to institute image transformation of this bureau,” he said.
David asked his successor to discipline the rank and file, cut red tape, modernize the facilities and implement an efficient travel control system in ports of entry for the convenience of international travelers. (Virgil Lopez/Sunnex)