Bureau of Immigration Commissioner Ronaldo Geron has directed newly installed BI intelligence chief Rommel De Leon to tighten security and monitoring of “all foreigners” entering the Philippines.
Mr Geron said he wanted to ensure that the Philippines would not be used as a springboard for members of Islamic State – implementing a tighter monitoring on those who exit and arrive in the country.
Rommel De Leon issued the directive after the apprehension of two aliens, one who was posing at a native-born Filipino.
Mr De Leon said it is important that the Philippines ensure that foreignerd from countries friendly with IS would not use the country as their hiding place and jump off point to gain access to their targets.
The BI has already assigned skilled immigration agents in all international airports and seaports to screen foreign visitors.
Officials said that the recent intensified screening efforts had resulted in the arrest of Korean Choi Yeongik, who used a fake Philippine passport under the name Bryan Cruz Chua.
Choi claimed he was born in Motiong, Samar, to gain entry into the Philippines through NAIA. Choi is wanted in Korea on extortion charges and blackmail.
Another suspect was about to board a plane when immigration officials discovered his passport was fake. His passport identified him as Mark Chin Perez Lao, but after immigration arrested him, he refused to divulge his real name and nationality – he was boarding a plane for Tel Aviv, Israel.
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