DOJ chief seeks replacement of Immigration's intelligence head

To boost the government's efforts against trafficking, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima on Tuesday said she is seeking the replacement of the Bureau of Immigration's intelligence division head. At a news briefing, De Lima said she is not satisfied with the performance of BI intelligence head Faizal Hussin. "I am scouting for a more appropriate official for intel. It can do so much more to clean up the institution and to eradicate human trafficking and other syndicates in the BI. Because reports have it that syndicates in the BI are still operating despite efforts of the BI," said De Lima. The Bureau of Immigration is under the supervision of the Justice Department. GMA News Online tried to reach Hussin's office, but it could not be contacted as of posting time. In a phone interview, however, Bureau of Immigration officer in charge Rolando Ledesma said the bureau was able to receive De Lima's department order last Monday. "We received the department order yesterday and we will be implementing it immediately. We will transfer [Hussin] to a different department. As for the replacement, I will go to the DOJ [Department of Justice] today for further clarifications. I have to discuss this with Undersecretary Vicente Salazar, the undersecretary in charge of the BI," Ledesma said. At the news briefing, De Lima said that Hussin's imminent removal from his position has nothing to do with the recent deportation of the 14 Taiwanese and 10 Chinese to mainland China. The deportation sparked a diplomatic row between Manila and Taipei because the latter wanted its citizens to be brought to Taiwan instead of China. — Sophia Dedace/RSJ, GMA News