Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 22) — An immigration officer present during the passenger inspection of a Dubai-bound private jet possibly involved in human smuggling may face sanctions if it’s proven that he violated the agency’s policies, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said Wednesday.
“There was indeed an immigration officer na namataan doon, at hindi po siya assigned for that special flight kaya magkakaroon ng investigation as to why his presence was there,” BI Spokesperson Dana Sandoval said during the Laging Handa briefing.
[Translation: There was indeed an immigration officer spotted there, and he is not assigned to that special flight that is why there will be an investigation as to why he was there.]
“Kung nakita po that he violated immigration policies, haharap siya sa mga sanctions, mga administrative sanctions. Pero nakita natin (BI) that his presence did not affect the processing of the immigration officer,” she added.
[Translation: If there is proof that he violated immigration policies, he will face sanctions, administrative sanctions. But the BI saw that his presence did not affect the processing of the immigration officer.]
On Feb. 13, the Dubai-bound plane took off at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) without a pre-flight inspection, fuelling senators’ suspicion that it could be involved in human smuggling.
MIAA earlier admitted lapses in its security protocol as it failed to check the passengers inside the aircraft.
READ: MIAA admits security lapses after alleged NAIA human smuggling incident
According to BI, 10 individuals were on the plane, including seven passengers and three flight crew members.
Sandoval also explained that those boarding a private flight are checked by an immigration officer on the planeside while those in commercial flights are inspected at the airport.
Senator Grace Poe earlier called for an investigation into possible human smuggling activities using private planes.
She cited the case of the Dubai-bound plane that left NAIA without a pre-flight inspection, carrying foreign passengers who were not on the manifest.
