LIEUTENANT Gov. Diego T. Benavente yesterday said the Department of Labor and Immigration should be more careful in cases dealing with confiscation of travel documents.
In an interview, Benavente said he and other top government officials from the department held a meeting to discuss the matter after six Chinese students complained that their passports were confiscated without a hearing about nine months ago.
Benavente said DOLI takes its job seriously.
“These things are being discussed with DOLI officials. The (confiscation of passports), I think, should not happen. There has to be a very, very good reason why you’re holding someone’s passport,” he added.
“There are going to be some instances for (the Division of) Immigration to confiscate or to hold the passport but it has to be for a very, very justifiable reason,” he said.
Charles P. Reyes was the then immigration official in the case involving a foreigner who was granted a monetary award of $50,000 after it was established that she was not given due process and denied her right to international travel when her passport was confiscated.
Reyes told Variety that he later sued the CNMI government and got a favorable decision.
In Yolanda U. De Nieva vs. Charles P. Reyes, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit ruled that Reyes should be held liable for his action in his personal capacity and pay De Nieva. Reyes’s assets were frozen upon the order of the court.
Reyes said he appealed the ruling on contention that he was just acting on order from then Attorney General Alex Castro, his superior.
“I did it pursuant to the instructions of my superior. I filed a suit against the (CNMI) government. I got my money back in the amount of $63,000 (interest included),” he said.
“I have to follow the instruction otherwise I will be charged with insubordination,” he added.
