"Death to drug traffickers under Singapore law". These words scream to me and every other passenger on a flight from Manila when i came to Singapore 3 1/2 years ago. Right next to "Welcome to Singapore, they were. In RED to boot. Not even 'The Super Clean Country' like Singapore was trumped up to be. But "Death..." And In Red and bolded. These words never came back to existence in my mind until today as I'm typing this entry.
While im not keen in writing grieviance blogs especially when it involves Singapore knowing the country's strict laws on freedom of expression particularly in internet and print media for that matter, i just cant help but tell this story that yours truly and my two cousins have experienced today.
We had heard a lot of good things about Singapore but this is goin to be something different and i assume not-so-new. My wife recently gave birth to our second child so we decided to ask one of my cousin from the Philippines to come here to help us look after the baby for at least a month until my wife gets back to work per se' .. Luckily one of my cousin agreed to give us a helping hand and decided to come here together with another cousin together on the same day and flight.
With visions of bazaars, city parks, lots of greenery and a laid-back but professional atmosphere, we were rather excited. Expectations were running high. The Changi Airport Arrival Terminal-1 was "nice", nice'. Clean, landscaped, airy. They came via XX delayed flight XX from Manila around 09:45am (airline name and flight withheld for obvious reasons)
[Stop!} Due to the nature of the events about to unfold, i choose, for easier writing, to borrow from Keifer Sutherland's award-winning drama '24' and title this section '4½'.
"The following takes place between 10:30 am and 2:30 pm"
Changi Airport Arrival Terminal-1
At this point my cousins were in high spirits. Happy to be in a sub- tropical country! Little did they know what Singapore had in store for them especially my Cousin-1...
They bounce up to the lady at the immigration counter and handed over their passports and immigration forms. Cousin-2 is cleared first, her passport stamped and returned to her. The lady refers Cousin-1 "for routine checking" to a special immigration desk of the hall. Cousin-2, concerned, moves away to baggage carousel. Cousin-1 is escorted by an immigration officer, bespectacled and a gimp (name withheld but we'll call him Officer X), to an enclosed holding area. The room is tiny and rectangular and contains only 3 chairs. The door is locked from the outside. There is no door handle on the inside and there is no window except for a small glass square set high in the door. The glass square contains metal wires. Twenty minutes pass.
Outside, Cousin-2 stands with her luggages. Worried. Pacing. "I'm sorry Ma'am but you can't stay here", she hears. Turning around she sees a female security officer. "But i'm waiting for my cousin. she is still in there", Cousin-2 said pointing at the closed room. "This is a restricted area. You will have to wait outside". There was no arguing with her. Cousin-2 exits.
Enter an immigration officer. Not Officer X. He escorts Cousin-1 to another room. There is a big computer screen on the wall, a keyboard and some sort of pad. The officer lifts Cousin-1's hand and places it on the pad. He is taking fingerprints. First the left thumb and then the right. He taps away at a keyboard, clicks with a mouse and then 'No Matches Found' appears on the screen. Cousin-1 is escorted back to the holding area. Forty-five additional minutes pass.
Cousin-2 is worried. Very worried. An officer comes to inform Cousin-2 that they will not allow Cousin-1 to enter Singapore and that they will detain her. She gets coins and call the Tourism Hotline. They say that they can't help and that it is an immigration matter. She calls up three numbers asking for their assistance, for which she would pay, and for a good immigration lawyer. They deny assistance. One says "get a criminal lawyer. Maybe your cousin has drugs' or partly because shes a Filipina, they suspected her as a prostitute." "She's is NOT a prostitute.. She doesn't have drugs." Cousin-2 almost screams into the handset but to no avail. She wonders whatever happened to the lawyers' code which obliged them to render legal assistance. With no other options, she calls the Philippine Embassy for advice. Their emergency number is unanswered. She is very upset now. A total of 2 hours have passed.
Officer X escorts Cousin-1 back to the counter in the immigration hall.
X: "Why did you come to Singapore?"
C1: "For Holiday, same time i will be helping out my cousin who just gave birth"
X: "Where will you stay"?
C1: "my cousin's house" *pulls out my invitation letter (my name and address also given).
X: "How long will you stay here?"
C1: "1 month hopefuly".
X: "do you have money?"
C1: "yes"
X: "Do you have a ticket?" C1 hands over the e-ticket printout.
x: "How do you intend to pay for your stay here?"
C1: "my cousin will bear all expenses". X reads my invitation letter again.
There is a pause. A long pause. The officer reads thoroughly before her. Another pause.
X: "I'm sorry but you are not eligible for social admittance. We will detain you and arrange deportation".
C1: "What? Why? Where to? When? Why?" I have a sponsor, more than enough money, a confirmed return flight in 30 days and I don't need a visa for Singapore. Why?" she is flabbergasted.
X: "You will get official paperwork and I will have to talk to the airlines".
C1: "Can I call a lawyer and also speak to my cousins. they're waiting for me outside?"
X: "You don't need a lawyer. You are not under arrest. I will see what I can do about your cousins". He escorts cousin-1 back into the holding area. Total elapsed time: 2 hours 45 minutes.
Cousin-2 visits the Terminal Manager's office and insists on meeting him. He listens and lends her his office phone. She tries calling more lawyers but without success. Its Saturday and is even a bigger concern. Plus, it is getting late and all the law offices are closed or closing. She asks the Terminal Manager (name withheld) to see what's going on and if he could lend any assistance. He consents. The pangs of hunger start setting in for both Cousin-2 and me. The only meal was breakfast from a lousy food stall that sell a unjustified ceazar salad which i never finished. Cousin-2 and I have not yet been allowed to talk to Cousin-1. Time check: 12:45pm.
Cousin-1 is back at the counter. The Terminal Manager is now present. He tells that he is in touch with Cousin-2 and that she knows the situation. The officer has consulted with the airlines.
X: "We have no immediate flights. Therefore, we will hold you for few more hours and deport you to country on flight no. XX (number withheld)".
Cousin-1: "What? You mean you will detain me only to send me out of Singapore on the SAME flight I am originally booked to travel on?"
X: "Yes. In the meantime, I have prepared transfer papers for you and this officer (a new arrival) will escort you to another place. You will be more comfortable there". He hands the transfer papers to the new officer and motions for the officer to leave thru a back door.
Cousin-1, who had been uncharacteristically calm throughout the entire ordeal, now became ever so slightly agitated. "I am not leaving this building until you inform me why you are detaining me when I surpass your entry requirements. Plus, I need to speak to my cousins and a lawyer. Why are you detaining me? What have I done wrong?" The officer didn't answer. "I believe I have a right under law to be informed about the reason for your refusal to admit me into Singapore. Why are you detaining me? I have a sponsor here...", Cousin-1 demanded while rehashing a previous defense. The officer whispers to a nearby colleague and then he picks up the phone. Time expired: 4 hours.
Cousin-2 is livid. The Terminal Manager has not returned. She feels helpless. She prays.
Inside, Cousin-1 prays silently too. After a long telephone conversation in a language Cousin-1 did not understand: "We've decided to give you the benefit of the doubt. We will issue you a Special Pass after which you are to leave Singapore", the officer informs taking the transfer papers back from the new officer. The new officer exits. Cousin-1 hides her elation. "What doubt?", she persists but quickly eases up. She wants to get outside to see us. Officer X types up a Special Form and hands a copy to Cousin-1. She is free to go..but not to see us, but to get back to Manila. Her passport was not stamped in.
Tick tock tick tock. Time expired: 4½ hours
The Aftermath
I left the airport and left Cousin-2 there as she was waiting for another friend coming from the next arriving flight form Manila. I grabbed a cab and the driver noticed my stress and inquired. "my cousin had hard time clearing immigration, was denied entry and then sent back to Manila", I said. "It's like that sometimes. You're out now. Just forget it and go shopping", he replies. "Go shopping? Go shopping? Singapore wouldn't get my hard-earned money." They don't deserve it! I would not even send my neighbour's mangy dog here", I vented at the driver. He thought about apologizing. He didn't.
As im typing this, im thinking; should i write an official complaint letter via email to the Quality Service Manager of the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority and CCed it to several other high-ranking public officials who had anything remotely to do with ICA and unlawful detentions. But heck, why would i do that? When i can clearly predict they will just send me back a reply saying : that they will investigate the matter and get back to me. *if thats ever gonna happen*
Bottom line is, "The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority of Singapore SUCKS! yea, you read it right..you SUCK! UNREASONABLE, OVER-CLEVER AND INCONSIDERATE! how could you say a person is a potential prostitute just because the person is a Filipina and sports a sexy outfit? Filipino's are not the only prostitutes here in Singapore. have you seen how many China, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam girls selling themselves as prostitutes in Geylang and Orchard Plaza/Towers as prostitutes?? this does not include your local girls openly offering sexual services on the internet via local escorting websites, and oh..let me not forget to mention *you're beloved* "Ang-Mo's"(caucasian's) who are high-class hookers loitering in 5-star hotel lounge/lobby's. How can you say a person is a poor worker just because that person cannot speak proper English? **mind you, have you listened to your "Singlish" lately?? why cant you call the sponsor, and not have us waiting for nearly 5hours without even letting us talk or see the person you're detaining/holding? Whats the point in paying S$42.00 for a Stamped/Chopped Invitation Letter at our lame-pathetic Embassy?? Why have these poor deportee's be police-escorted to be humiliated even more inside the plane like criminals when they come here for a good purpose/reason?? How can you generally say that Filipinos come to Singapore only to sell flesh or as Domestic Helpers?? The trouble you cost people is time and money..HARD-EARNED MONEY!!! i need not say more coz it might cost me my.. "PASS??".. but yea, go ahead screw me! i know i cant make this stop and no nobody might not have the interest to read this but at least i'll let people know how full of pigshit you are! I've been working here for almost 4years now, i'm a law abiding citizen, i pay my taxes and represent this country in the industry im working, food and beverage/customer service your own people cannot fill that you rely on us foreign workers to take part..this "Thankless Job." ..and this is how you treat us back?! Jesus Harold Christ!!!
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