BI agents arrest Indian nat’l for overstaying
BUREAU of Immigration (BI) agents at the Clark International Airport (CIA) in Pampanga arrested an overstaying Indian national who attempted to leave the country without paying a fine for overstaying.
In a report to Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco, the BI’s border control and intelligence unit (BCIU) identified the passenger as Jasbir Singh, 40.
He was intercepted at the boarding gate of the CIA last April 17 before he could board his flight to Singapore.
According to BI-BCIU acting chief Vincent Bryan Allas, Singh presented his boarding pass with an immigration departure stamp and emergency travel document without a BI stamp.
Allas said it was obvious that the passenger wanted to leave without paying the immigration fees and fines that overstaying alien tourists are assessed and required to pay before they could be cleared to leave the country.
Singh is now detained at the BI warden facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City where he will remain while undergoing deportation proceedings.
Tansingco said he has already relieved the immigration officer who allowed the passenger to proceed to the gates without proper immigration clearance.
“He will be facing an investigation for possible cases of grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the interest of the service,” Tansingco said. He declined to name the employee pending investigation of the incident.
He added that apart from their BCIU who conducts spot checks as an added security, they have strengthened their off-site monitoring using CCTV cameras to immediately act on suspicious activities.
Initial investigation revealed that Singh last arrived December 9, 2023 and was allowed to enter as a tourist for 21 days.
Thus, he was already overstaying at the time of his arrest after failing to present any proof that he had updated his stay.
