MANILA, Aug. 2 — The Department of Justice (DOJ) issued an immigration lookout bulletin order (ILBO) against Richard Tan alias Richard Chen and six others in connection to the entry of a shabu shipment worth PHP6.4 billion from China.
In a memorandum released on Wednesday, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II directed Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente to instruct all immigration officers in the country’s airports and seaports to be on the lookout to prevent attempts of the said individulas to leave the country.
Tan is the owner of the Hongfei Logistics in Valenzuela City where the shipment was seized last May.
Also included in lookout bulletin are Kenneth Dong or Dong Yi Shen Xi, the alleged middleman of the shipment; Fidel Dee, the consignee of the shipment; Jhu Ming-Jyun and Che Min who rented the warehouse, Mark Ruben Taguba, a private Customs broker and Larribert Hilario, head of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) Risk Management Office.
The ILBO was issued upon the request of Senator Richard Gordon, chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee who is conducting an investigation on the matter.
“Considering the gravity of the offenses possibly committed, there is a strong possibility that the foregoing personalities may attempt to place themselves beyond the reach of the lawful processes of this department by leaving the country,” read the order signed by Aguirre.
“In light of the foregoing, the Commissioner, Bureau of Immigration is hereby ordered to instruct all immigration officers top be on the lookout/alert for the above-named individuals inn the event that anymore of them pass through immigration. Counters in any of our international airports and/or seaports,” it read.
“We thus deem the issuance of an ILBO against the the subject prudent in order to at least monitor the itineraries of the flight, travel and/or whereabourts,” the order further stated.
A person subject of an Immigration Lookout Bulletin Order (ILBO) can still leave the country subject to conditions and requirements including clearance from the Department of Justice (DOJ).
He also instructed the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to obtain additional information on the seven personalities such as latest photos, other known aliases, place of birth and a copy of the passport.
The DOJ also required the Prosecutor General to regularly update the BI on the status of complaints and cases filed against them.
On Tuesday, House Dangerous Drugs Committee Chair Robert Ace Barbers led the call for BOC Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon’s resignation during the congressional inquiry on the matter.
But Faeldon on Wednesday vowed to turn down requests from politicians who are using their influence to promote their people, which is a form of corruption.
“They want me to influence the promotion board to get their people promoted. Even that is a form of corruption will be put to nothing. I do not want to do that,” he said in a press conference held a day after his meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte.
Faeldon revealed that part of the marching order of the Chief Executive is to get rid of corruption in the bureau.
“Walang specific giving marching order about corruption. To stop corruption, any form. We talked other issues,” he added.
President Duterte allowed Faeldon to stay as head of the bureau despite its failure to stop the entry of the contraband to the country. (Christopher Lloyd T. Caliwan/ Vanessa Panesa (OJT)/PNA)
