Tap third-party group to issue visa for Chinese - DOJ

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 20) — Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Monday said the Department of Justice (DOJ) is urging the president to transfer the task of issuing visas to Chinese from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to a global third-party issuing company.

In a press briefing, Remulla suggested tapping VFS Global, an international outsourcing and technology services company that manages visa and passport issuance-related administrative tasks for client governments.

He said he has talked to Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo about the proposal to tap VFS in issuing visas.

"Sinisikap namin ulit pagaralan yung ating visa issuing system natin. Itutulak muli ng ating gobyerno sa ating pangulo na wag na DFA ang mag-handle ng visas papasok dito galing Tsina," the DOJ chief said.

"Kundi gawin ng VFS, na merong kakayahan na tingnan kung totoo o hindi 'yung mga submission ng data ng mga nag apply ng visa," he added.

[Translation: We are studying our visa issuing system again. Our government will push the President to stop DFA from handling visas of those entering the country from China. Make VFS handle it, it has the ability to check whether or not the data submissions of visa applicants are true or not.]

According to its website, VFS Global has 3,366 application centers and operations in 149 countries across five continents, serving 70 client governments.

"Ginagamit na ng buong mundo, 'bat pa tayo lumalaban doon. 'Yon ang pinakamadaling paraan (The whole world is already using it, but we are still fighting against it. It's the easiest way)," Remulla said.

Remulla said the DFA issuance system has flaws, revealing that he’s been receiving information that lawyers and travel agencies have illegal means to let foreigners enter the country.

He said fake companies supposedly offering foreigners jobs in the country are used as fronts to acquire visas.

Remulla said Bureau of Immigration personnel may be involved in these schemes, emphasizing that this issue is of "national concern.”

“Dumadaan ito (fake visas) sa pamamagitan ng board secretary. Mga opisyal na dapat siguro, marahil, ay pag-aralan kung dapat pa ay nandon sila,” he alleged, referring to immigration officials.

[Translation: It goes through the board secretary. Officials who should maybe, just maybe, be studied if they should still be in their position.]

The DOJ chief said these involved BI officials are disrespecting the importance of territorial boundaries, calling their act “treason.”

The BI is under the DOJ supervision.

Remulla mentioned China as having the most number of foreign nationals with fake visas.

"Karamihan na nakikinabang sa ganitong pagkilos ay mga nangagaling ng Tsina at sabi nga doble bantay tayo ngayon sa pagkat meron tayong dahilan na mag-ingat. Marami silang ginagawang hindi kanais nais sa ating karagatan at sa iba pang mga bagay tungkol sa ating bansa," he said.

[Translation: Most of those who benefit from this are from China and we are on double guard now because we have a reason to be careful. They are doing many undesirable things in our ocean and other things about our county.]