FROM THE BARREL OF MY PEN
By Gonzalo “Jun” Policarpio

CAN RUN BUT CANNOT HIDE

The United States is no sanctuary for KLEPTOCRATS as well as for HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATORS.

When President Bush signed the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act in December 2004, the Department of Justice through its Office of Special Investigations (OSI) has started to identify, investigate and prosecute human rights violators in the United States. According to Eli M. Rosenbaum, OSI’s director, “Perpetrators of egregious human rights abuses who immigrated here also pose a threat to public safety in this country.”

In various American embassies worldwide, OSI works closely with agents of the Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to track down human rights violators or even suspected human rights violators who tried to enter the United States. Both agencies also coordinate with the State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs to utilize the department’s visa lookout system designed to alert U.S. consulates about individuals whom the United States wish to be excluded from entry based on suspected human rights violations.

Once again, this is a cue for all persons out there in the Philippines to submit information to American immigration authorities on any wanted human rights violator who would like to run from justice and seek a hiding place in the United States. As the saying goes, they can run but cannot hide from the law.

End
junpolicarpio@yahoo.com
junpolicarpio@gmail.com