Department of Justice Secretary Leila De Lima has placed 19 Bureau of Immigration (BI) personnel at the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) on a 90-day preventive suspension.

De Lima also recommended the filing of administrative charges for grave misconduct, conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service, dishonest, and gross neglect of duty citing the existing of probable cause against the immigration officers.

In a five-page order, De Lima imposed a 90-day preventive suspension against Heranio Manalo, Janice de Jesus-Corres, Rey Alfred Hernandez, Robin Pinzon, Romeo Dannug, Jose Melendrez, Adonis Fontanilla, Ramon Lapid, Evelyn Marinduque, Misael Tayag, Gaile Frances Leo Lugto, Ramoncito Barro de Guzman-Sanglay, Jacqueline Miranda, Arlene Mendoza, James Guevarra, Sheryll Manguerra, Ramonsito Nuqui, Luisito Mercado and Dante Aquino.

De Lima reversed the memorandum of former Acting Justice Secretary Alberto Agra who dismissed the charges against BI-DMIA personnel implicated by whistleblower Racel J. Ong regarding the alleged syndicated activities of human trafficking.

She set aside the June 28, 2010 memorandum issued by Agra and approved en toto the report of the DoJ Investigating Panel recommending the filing of administrative charges.

She likewise ordered Undersecretary Jose Vicente "Jovi" Salazar, the chairman of the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking in Person, to proceed with the filing of administrative charges against the respondents.

Earlier, Rachel Ong, a BI employee, filed a criminal complaint for human trafficking against the respondents before the DoJ on Feb. 9 and 17, 2010.

Ong claimed that she could no longer bear the illegal activities allegedly perpetrated by her co-employees. She claimed that she wanted to do her share to help cleanse their ranks of graft and corruption.

Investigation conducted by Senior State Prosecutor Aileen Marie Gutierrez, showed that all the complaints of Ong were supported with sufficient evidence and recommended the filing of charges.

The DoJ investigating panel alleged that the BI personnel named in April 14, 2010 Memorandum committed illegal acts done in abuse of their position as BI officials and personnel.

The investigating panel said the accused BI personnel facilitated the ingress or egress of DMIA passengers with incomplete or falsified documents; colluding with illegal recruiters and human trafficking syndicates in the departure and entry of persons in return for collecting personal payments and receiving favors, including sexual favors.

The BI personnel had denied Ong’s accusations, claiming that they regularly performed their duties and successfully enforced immigration laws at the DMIA.

However, former DOJ Secretary and concurrent Solicitor General Alberto Agra reversed the findings of the investigating panel.