QUEZON CITY, (PIA) — Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Norman Tansingco on Tuesday belied reports that the agency will issue an amnesty for foreign nationals illegally staying in the Philippines.
“Such statements are unauthorized and figures are baseless,” said Tansingco, in his reaction regarding what a BI official allegedly earlier said that amnesty is coming and that the draft proposal has been made and will be submitted to the Department of Justice (DOJ) for review.
“His statements are careless and dangerous,” Tansingco said.
“In fact, we have received prior information that there are unscrupulous groups on social messaging apps already selling slots for this supposed amnesty, hence we reiterate that no such thing is on the table,” he added.
In some articles, the BI official was reportedly quoted saying that the government is expected to earn P2 billion from penalties and other fines.
It is also estimated that there are 500,000 illegal aliens who remain in the country currently.
Tansingco insisted that they are not making any proposals.
The BI is said to be only an implementing agency, while Article VII, Section 19 of the 1987 Constitution provides that the President of the Philippines, “has the power to grant amnesty with the concurrence of a majority of all the members of the Congress.” (PIA-NCR)
