Marcos fires BI chief Norman Tansingco
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has dismissed Norman Tansingco as chief of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) over “irregularities” in the agency.
Presidential Communications Office Secretary Cesar Chavez confirmed on Monday, Sept. 9 that Marcos Jr. has approved Tansingco’s dismissal from his post.
"His (Tansingco's) dismissal has already been approved by the President," Chavez said in a text message to reporters on Monday.
The decision was earlier confirmed by Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, who said the immigration chief "will be replaced."
"Yes, the President and I have come to an agreement," Remulla said in an interview. "He (Tansingco) will be replaced.”
"If I were him, I'll just resign already. He should just resign," the justice secretary said.
Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian has previously said the BI was aware of former Bamban mayor Alice Guo’s departure but kept the President in the dark of her whereabouts.
Meanwhile, Remulla said that he recommended to the President to dismiss him because he had completely “lost trust and confidence” in Tansingco due to the irregularities in the agency, including the escape of Guo and fake working visas.
The justice chief shared that he raised to Tansingco that there are reports about working visas being issued to fake corporations that granted entry to illegal gambling workers to the country. However, Remulla said the former immigration chief “never did anything” about the report.
“Kaya hindi na kami nag uusap ngayon. Hindi tama ‘yung ganun klaseng asal na hindi mo ipapaalam sa DOJ Secretary yung nangyayari sa opisina mo,” he earlier said.
Tansingco has not yet been formally informed
For his part, Tansingco said he has only learned about his dismissal from the media, and that he has not been officially informed about it yet.
“Kumakalat na po yung balita galing kay Secretary [R]emulla, your boss, na pinalitan na raw kayo. Is this correct?” Sen. Francis Tolentino asked during the Senate committee on women on Monday. To which he replied: “Na receive ko na po (the information of the relief) through the post from sa media but I have not yet been officially informed about it.”
Tolentino asked Tansingco if he had been notified of a transfer or dismissal. Tansingco replied, "Not yet."
The senator asked if he was aware that there is a "certain move to replace you as the head of BI," but Tansingco reiterated that he learned about the information “through the media.”
Remulla unsatisfied with agents' explanation of controversial selfie
BI was one of the government agencies that came under fire after Guo, her siblings, and alleged cohort Cassandra Ong were able to leave the country despite the warrant of arrest issued by the Senate for skipping hearings about her involvement in POGOs.
On Sept. 6, Guo was brought back to the country after being arrested in Indonesia. The repatriation was facilitated by a chartered flight with Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benhur Abalos Jr., Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Rommel Marbil, and NBI and BI officers.
In a photo released by the NBI, Guo was pictured smiling with NBI and BI agents. Remulla instructed officials in the photo to provide an explanation and apology.
"Kailangan may apology naman. Malaking apology ang kailangan diyan. Kailangan diyan may reprimand talaga," he said.
"Hindi pwedeng ganyan lang kasi wanted yan eh. Ang mga wanted hindi mo dapat sinecelebrate yan, dapat dyan pag hinuli mo, tama na yung selfie selfie na yan. Palitan natin yung kultura na yan, hindi dapat nangyayari yan," Remulla added.
'Mistake' in Guo's graft case filed in Tarlac?
Remulla also wants to clarify with the Office of the Ombudsman why the graft case against Guo was filed in Tarlac instead of the Sandiganbayan, suggesting it might have been a mistake.
“Parang nagkamali yata ‘yung prosecutors ng Ombudsman. Na i-file ‘yan sa Tarlac kasi salary grade 30 si Alice Guo and 26 and above, dapat sa Ombudsman na ‘yan at sa Sandiganbayan,” he said.
Guo was arrested upon arrival in the Philippines, under a warrant issued by the Capas, Tarlac Regional Trial Court. She remains detained after refusing to post bail. The graft charges against her were filed with the same court, which ordered her detention at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center.
Apart from POGO, Guo also faces money laundering charges, a tax evasion case, and a human trafficking complaint, among others. (With reports from Helen Flores, Cecille Suerte Felipe, and Daphne Galvez)