Marcos axes Tansingco as BI chief over Alice Guo’s escape

Bureau of Immigration Norman Tansingco talks to members of the media during a press conference with officials of the Department of Justice and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) at the NBI-BSD office on Araneta Avenue in Quezon City on Friday, August 23, 2024. (File photo from ARNEL TACSON, INQUIRER.net)

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has relieved Norman Tansingco of his post as Immigration chief, the Palace said on Monday.

“His dismissal has already been approved by the [P]resident,” Press Secretary Cesar Chavez told reporters through a Viber message when asked if the President has already relieved Tansingco as chief of the Bureau of Immigrations (BI).

Asked if it was because of the escape of dismissed Bamban Mayor Alice Guo (real name: Guo Hua Ping) to another country amid her alleged ties with illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (Pogos), Chavez responded: “Yes. That’s the reason.”

READ: Marcos: Gov’t officials behind Alice Guo’s escape will be fired, sued

It was Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, who earlier revealed that he and Marcos already reached an agreement to replace Tansingco over Guo’s escape, among many other issues.

“Well, I have asked the president to relieve him (Tansingco) and to replace him. I am not satisfied marami kaming naging problema (we encountered a lot of problems),” he said.

“Okay na yon nagkasundo na kami ng pangulo, papalitan na siya, papalitan siya. If I were him, I would resign already, mag resign na lang siya,” he added.

(It’s okay, we already agreed, the president and I. He will be replaced. If I were him I would resign already, he should just resign.)

READ: Marcos repeats stern warning to enablers of Guo escape 

Another issue Remulla mentioned was the issuance of working visas.

“Marami ‘yan, issuances of working visas very questionable. I called his attention to it wala siya ginawa,” he explained.

(It’s a lot, his issuances of working visas are very questionable. I called his attention to it but he did nothing.)

Marcos previously warned that “heads will roll” in the BI after the escape of Guo.

He then later said that not only will the involved BI personnel be fired, they will also be sued.

Guo, who escaped the country in July amid her reported connection to illegal Pogos, was arrested in Jakarta, Indonesia at around 1:30 a.m. on Sept. 4.