The Bureau of Immigration (BI) of the Philippines has recently been exposed to a crisis of trust. Several internal staff members jointly submitted a signed complaint letter to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., directly accusing the current Director, Joel Anthony Viado, of serious dereliction of duty, abuse of power for personal gain, and even involvement with cross-border human trafficking and illegal foreign labor networks.
The complaint letter is detailed, listing multiple specific instances, claiming that Viado used his authority to intervene in law enforcement processes, intending to profit specific individuals, which has caused strong social concern.
The complainants accuse Viado of giving the green light to Chinese executives involved in illegal Pogo operations, preventing their deportation and accountability, including Wang Qixin, Chen Jiangsong, and Luo Shangfen. All three are suspected of illegal recruitment and exploitation of labor, yet were released due to Viado's administrative orders. They were found active in the RiRance building in the Tambo area of Parañaque City.
In May 2025, during a raid in Taguig City, the immigration bureau detained 39 foreigners without legal work visas, who should have been sent to the official detention center (BIWF). However, the complaint letter states that Viado personally ordered them to be placed in a "meeting room," presumably to facilitate their quick release later, severely violating normal detention procedures.
Furthermore, on March 19 of this year, the Committee Against Organized Crime (PAOCC) cracked down on Asian Gaming Technology for illegally employing foreign staff, arresting 114 people. The complainants claim that Viado, disregarding objections from law enforcement agencies, ordered the release of all suspects without any subsequent deportation or investigation.
The complaint letter also reveals suspicions of "quota visas" being manipulated for monetary transactions. Originally intended to attract high-end talent, these visas were reportedly sold at high prices during Viado's tenure: Chinese applicants were required to pay up to 5 million pesos, while European applicants only needed to pay 500,000 pesos, showing clear regional discrimination and profit-seeking behavior.
These issues were briefly mentioned at a Senate hearing on March 18, but no in-depth investigation was conducted.
More concerning is the chaos and negligence in the immigration bureau's deportation system. The complaint letter points out that on February 25, 2025, ten Vietnamese were mistakenly sent to Phnom Penh, Cambodia, without notifying the Vietnamese embassy, nearly falling into the hands of trafficking groups; additionally, several Chinese nationals were sent to Macau, causing their scheduled return to be obstructed. The complainants claim these mistakes "effectively assist the human trafficking network."
The letter also criticizes Viado for administrative laziness, often starting work at noon and reducing the originally scheduled three policy meetings per month to just one. He also attended an e-gate system procurement meeting on May 2, 2025, violating the rules against interfering in the bidding process, raising external doubts about his intentions.
The complaining employees state that they do not expect an immediate change of director but hope to promote reform and rebuild external trust in the immigration system. However, they also worry that Viado's suspected "brotherhood" background with high-ranking officials in the Department of Justice may make it difficult to shake his political protection.
Immigration bureau spokesperson Dana Sandoval responded that it is currently impossible to verify the authenticity of the related documents, and no formal investigation order has been received. She added, "Our bureau welcomes any lawful investigation and will fully cooperate to ensure that the matter is handled fairly and transparently."
