The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced Tuesday, Oct. 17, that it would support the Bureau of Immigration (BI) in tackling the “Demanda Me” scheme perpetuated by arrested foreign nationals to allegedly delay their deportation.

“The DOJ affirms its commitment to safeguarding the nation's borders and ensuring that justice is not thwarted by such crafty maneuvers,” DOJ’s statement read.

This was highlighted during the Public Hearing of the Committee on Finance when Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla revealed the “Demanda Me” scheme to lawmakers, citing a case when a Japanese escapee was charged with Violence Against Women and Children (VAWC) by his wife who yet visited him every day.

“Obviously, the case is made up so as to delay his deportation [...] We thank Secretary Remulla for his support in pushing for the expeditious resolutions of such cases for us to be able to implement long-overdue deportations,” BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco said in a statement.

Tansingco explained that because foreign nationals cannot be deported following pending local cases, the latter would seek “services of corrupt lawyers to file frivolous cases against themselves to delay their deportation.”

“This is really a modus of fugitives to escape arrest in their home countries [...] With the DOJ running after lawyers and courts who perpetrate such schemes, I’m sure no one would dare use this scheme again,” he added.

According to the DOJ, this “loophole” prompted foreign nationals to take advantage of the system through the aid of “corrupt” legal practitioners to file groundless cases against themselves.

DOJ also stated that with the BI’s holding facility in Taguig currently housing 276 foreign nationals—half of which have pending criminal cases, with 53 percent flagged as fugitives from justice—there is an “urgent need to address this challenge.”

“Collaboration between the DOJ and Bl is set to strengthen, promising a more secure and accountable immigration process for the Philippines,” DOJ added.