Immigration is crucial for a country like the Philippines, serving as the first line of defense in protecting its sovereignty and national security.

Yet, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) has repeatedly failed in this vital role, with the recent scandal involving the escape of dismissed Bamban Mayor Alice Guo marking a new low.

Despite being under an immigration lookout bulletin order (ILBO) and wide publicity about her case, Guo still managed to leave the country, raising serious questions about the integrity and effectiveness of the Bureau.

This is not an isolated incident but rather the latest in a series of failures that point to deep-rooted corruption within the agency.  However,  it’s important to recognize that many immigration personnel are committed and honest; but the misconduct of a few has unfairly tainted their reputation.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has expressed his frustration, promising a "full-scale investigation" and declaring that "heads will roll."

This strong language is long overdue. For too long, the BI has been allowed to operate with impunity, enabling fugitives to enter and exit the country while legitimate Filipino travelers are harassed with absurd demands for documents.

Remember the yearbook incident when an agent demanded that an outbound traveler present their school yearbook for verification purposes?

These incidents are just the latest in a pattern of corruption and incompetence that has plagued the BI for decades. The infamous "pastillas scam," exposed several years ago detailed how immigration officers were allegedly accepting bribes to facilitate the illegal entry of Chinese nationals into the Philippines.

Disturbingly, the pastillas scam appears to have resurfaced in 2023. During a press briefing on October 12, 2023, Justice Secretary Boying Remulla revealed that a syndicate inside the BI had seemingly resurrected the scheme, allowing blacklisted individuals to travel in and out of the country for a fee of P150,000 per escort service.

Under the Marcos administration, the BI has been embroiled in a series of new scandals, further tarnishing its already damaged reputation.

Early this year, reports surfaced about a work visa scam, where immigration officers were allegedly issuing work visas to foreign nationals without proper vetting.

There were also allegations of BI personnel escorting Chinese nationals through immigration checkpoints, bypassing standard security procedures.

Even more alarming were the recent reports of high-level foreign individuals with criminal records being allowed entry into the country.

One of the most blatant challenges to authority was the Bureau's response to President Marcos’ order, announced during the recent State of the Nation Address (SONA), to ban Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).

The President had given POGO workers until December 2024 to pack up and leave the country. However, the BI, in a move that can only be described as a sinister attempt to subvert this directive, issued an order giving POGO workers just two months to comply.

Fortunately, the eagle-eyed  Remulla noticed this underhanded move and promptly ordered the BI to stop.

Remulla has again warned the "corrupt elements" within the BI not to profit from the departure of POGO workers, stating, “Pra-prangkahin ko kayo, ‘no, ‘wag sana sila mag iisip — maraming elements within the BI — na gagawa pa sila ng pera. Palabas na… ‘yung mga Chinese. Palabas na itong mga tao, peperahan pa rin,” Remulla said in a media briefing.

This statement underscores the ongoing challenges in cleaning up the BI and the need for vigilance against further exploitation.


We hope it is not true, but rumors suggest that the current Commissioner is a protégé of a high-ranking government official from the Eastern Visayas region and has close ties to the President.

Is this where the hubris comes from, that he feels he can disregard  both the President and the Secretary of Justice?

We hope the President does not allow this. The people expect the highest standards of integrity from those in positions of power, and any hint of favoritism or impunity only erodes public trust further.

The escape of Guo is just the tip of the iceberg. Human trafficking victims are smuggled out of the country, and fugitives find safe haven here, while ordinary Filipinos face endless scrutiny and red tape. This double standard is unacceptable.

The BI is charged with a critical mission: to enforce and administer immigration laws and  protect the country from foreign threats.

Yet, the Bureau is failing spectacularly in this role. Instead of safeguarding the nation, it has become a haven for corruption, where money talks and justice is silenced.

President Marcos and Secretary Remulla have made it clear that they intend to clean house, and they have the public’s full support. The time for half-measures and empty promises is over. It’s time for decisive action.

The individuals responsible for Guo’s escape must be held accountable.

The President has promised that heads will roll. It's time to make good on this promise.

In my view, the purge must begin with the current grossly ineffective  Commissioner, who cannot absolve himself of blame by virtue of the principle of command responsibility.

We envy the officials in Japan, where resigning out of shame is the norm when such scandals occur. In contrast, in the Philippines, we often witness what is locally known as "pakapalan ng mukha"—a term that loosely translates to "thickness of the face"—where those in power brazenly ignore accountability and continue with their misconduct.

We hope that the heads of only small fry will not be the only ones to roll. The public expects that the President will also catch the big fish—the high-ranking officials who are engaged in corruption.

The time for mere promises is over, Mr. President.

Let the heads roll, starting with the Commissioner. This decisive action will prove the seriousness of the President's warning, restore integrity in this critical institution, and reinforce the credibility of the Marcos administration.

Ed Javier

Ed Javier is a veteran communicator with over 34 years of professional experience both in the private and public sectors. He is also an entrepreneur, political analyst, newspaper columnist, broadcast and on-line journalist.