DOJ suspends implementation of revised guidelines for outbound Filipino travelers | The Final Word - video Dailymotion

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00:00 Joining us now is immigration spokesperson, Dana Sandoval.

00:03 Dana, thank you so much for joining us.

00:05 Which part of the guidelines do you think

00:08 needs further study and discussion

00:11 after hearing the points of the senators

00:15 and the Justice Department?

00:17 - Hi Rico, the discussions on the guidelines,

00:22 actually earlier today we had a meeting,

00:25 the IACAC, the members of the Interagency Council

00:28 against trafficking had a meeting discussing the guidelines

00:33 and things that have to be done by the interagency

00:36 as to presenting the guidelines to the public

00:39 and also to our lawmakers.

00:42 I think the point that was raised by our good lawmakers

00:46 are the requirements for the departing tourists

00:49 because the guidelines, like what was discussed before,

00:53 is a consolidation of different requirements

00:58 for different types of departing passengers.

01:01 And I think the area or the part of it

01:04 that's being assessed right now

01:08 is really for the departing tourists.

01:10 - So is the BI standing by these guidelines

01:15 or is it willing to revise them?

01:17 - Yes, of course, we take the cue from the IACAC

01:21 on these guidelines.

01:24 Of course, we take the direction

01:25 from the Department of Justice.

01:27 And if deemed necessary,

01:29 then I'm sure this can be amended

01:33 as reviewed by the interagency.

01:38 The current guidelines,

01:39 the implementation of the current guidelines

01:41 has been suspended as advised by the Department of Justice.

01:46 But it would mean that we would go back

01:49 to the previous guidelines, 2015 guidelines.

01:52 - Yeah.

01:52 - And to, and perhaps--

01:54 - The 2015 guidelines state,

01:59 and according to the Bureau of Immigration,

02:01 is weak and allows human trafficking.

02:07 So by revising or changing it,

02:10 could this make the fight against human trafficking

02:13 weaker yet again?

02:14 - Not so much, I think,

02:17 because it's more of the 2015 guidelines is a vague

02:21 and it gives much discretion to the immigration officers.

02:25 Unlike the 2023 guidelines,

02:28 it limits the discretion of the immigration officers

02:31 by putting in specific requirements

02:34 for specific types of departing passengers.

02:37 And I would just,

02:38 I would, we would like to highlight

02:41 that added requirements is not necessary

02:45 for majority of the departing passengers.

02:48 Like the Secretary of Justice mentioned,

02:51 98%, more than 98% of the travelers

02:55 don't need to present additional requirements

02:58 apart from their passport, their round trip ticket,

03:02 and their visa if required in the country of destination.

03:06 - And of course, we just heard DOJ Secretary Buenaventura

03:09 saying there are problems with the immigration officers.

03:13 What is the response of the Bureau on this?

03:17 - Well, we are taking reports of wrongdoings seriously.

03:22 So for any activities of our immigration officers

03:27 or perhaps in cases wherein we get reports

03:32 that they are not doing their jobs properly,

03:35 for example, they are not courteous

03:38 in the way that they are doing their jobs,

03:43 the airports and seaports.

03:47 Then immediately the commissioner issues an investigation

03:51 against the immigration officer

03:54 and relieve them from their post

03:56 pending the resolution of the investigation.

03:58 So we do not take this lightly.

03:59 - Yeah, you do not take it lightly,

04:01 but also you have thousands of immigration officers, Dana.

04:05 How will you also ensure that there will be no harassment,

04:10 discrimination, and economic profiling of tourists?

04:14 - Yes, I think the quick action on reports

04:18 against immigration officers who might have done

04:21 activities, unauthorized activities in the past,

04:27 it's really a big deterrent.

04:30 It's part of the, it's actually part of the 2023 guidelines

04:33 that for any government employee

04:37 or even in those in the private sector,

04:39 if these individuals take part in trafficking

04:43 or extortion or any such activities,

04:47 then the office should file a case against them,

04:50 both criminal and administrative.

04:51 - But of course, we also do not know

04:54 those who have been harassed or discriminated.

04:58 Sometimes they're also scared.

05:00 They don't wanna talk.

05:01 They don't want to file a complaint with the government.

05:05 So that has also to be taken into consideration, Dana.

05:08 And there are also concerns,

05:10 human traffickers could even go around

05:12 the additional regulations by providing victims

05:15 with show money.

05:16 So how will the BI ensure that this does not happen?

05:20 - That fact that traffickers can go around the requirements

05:26 by providing show money, proof of like fake documents,

05:31 it's really one thing that is being addressed

05:33 by the new guidelines because it's clear on what

05:37 our immigration officers should check,

05:41 should look out for, what the metrics are

05:44 when it comes to assessing passengers.

05:46 And again, for immigration officers

05:49 that might have done something illegal or not proper,

05:54 we immediately relieve them and file cases against them.

05:59 And as part of what the Secretary of Justice

06:03 mentioned earlier, immigration officers

06:05 are also undergoing continuous training

06:08 to ensure that their actions are in line

06:10 with the mandates of the Bureau.

06:12 - Thank you so much for your insights

06:13 and for joining us on the program,

06:15 immigration spokesperson, Dana Sandoval.

DOJ suspends implementation of revised guidelines for outbound Filipino travelers | The Final Word

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