BI reminds travelers to check hold-departure list

Filipinos with pending court cases and are planning to travel abroad should first check if they have been issued a hold-departure order, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said Tuesday. Immigration Commissioner Ricardo David Jr. said he issued the advice after the BI received complaints from travelers who were prevented by airport Immigration officers from leaving because their names were on the BI hold-departure list. He said that in most instances, these people happen to be mere namesakes of subjects of hold-departure orders issued by the courts or by the Department of Justice. BI verification unit head Simeon Sanchez said applicants for BI clearance must submit a certification from the clerk of court and clearance from the National Bureau of Investigation to prove that they are mere namesakes of the persons in the hold order. The BI verification unit keeps a complete database of Filipinos and foreigners under the watch list and black list orders. — PE/VS, GMA News