The Bureau of Immigration’s counters at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE)
President Rodrigo Duterte warned Bureau of Immigration (BI) personnel to stop extorting money from foreigners or they would be killed or banished to Jolo, Sulu.
“Itong immigration, ‘pag ang turista nakalabas na ng airport, nakatatak na, and he’s given so many days, huwag na huwag ninyong lapitan lalo na ang mga Koreano pati Intsik,” Duterte said in a speech in Cabatuan, Iloilo.
He said only Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente could give the order to BI officials and urged them not to do things on their own.
“Only your director can do it, si General Morente. Siya lang ang makabigay ng order but do not…do not because pag nalaman ko, i-assign kita doon sa Jolo,” he said.
He cited instances where BI personnel would make up a “drama” and extort money from foreigners who usually give in and give money.
“So there’s a lot of stupid things going on. Do not do that because isang mali lang, hihiritan kita. Either patayin kita o sampulan kita o itapon kita sa Jolo,” he said.
Duterte has slammed abusive practices in the country’s airports particularly the “tanim-bala” incidents where he threatened airport personnel involved that he would let them eat the “bullets.”