Talent manager and Vlogger Byron Cristobal, popularly known as ‘Banat By’ criticized the officials of the Bureau of Immigration for being too strict with traveling Filipinos.
In his social media post, Cristobal reminded the immigration officials that the Philippines is a democratic country and its citizen has the right to travel.
“Sa huling pagkakaalam ko ang Pilipinas ay demokratikong bansa at hindi tulad ng NORTH KOREA. Eh bakit ba pinipigilan ng IMMIGRATION na mamasyal ang mga Pilipino.” said Cristobal.
“Ngayon kung iniisip nyo yang HUMAN TRAFFICKING kuno nyo hindi na nyo problema yan. Hulihin nyo yung mga agency hindi yung mga walang kinalamang Pilipino.
“Kung mag TNT o may gagawing illegal ang mga Pilipino sa ibang bansa wala na sa jurisdiction nyo yan. Hayaan nyo yung bansa na yun ang humuli at parusahan mga Pinoy na gagawa ng kat*rant*duhan.”
It can be recalled that immigration officials were in hot water because of some reports of travelers who were offloaded because of alleged unnecessary questions being asked of them before allowing them to travel.
Freelance writer Cham Tateras, one of the passengers who claimed to experience convenience because of an immigration official said that the one interviewed her was asking for her yearbook to prove her story.
Because of the said immigration official, Tateras missed her flight to Israel and was even required to buy another ticket.
The said official has now transferred to another office and insisted that he didn’t ask for a yearbook from Tateras.