JANUARY 25, 2026 — The Bureau of Immigration’s surprise raid in its detention facilities in Taguig and Muntinlupa has once again pulled back the curtain on a problem we pretend not to see. Confiscated were smartphones, tablets, cigarettes, vapes, medicines, electric fans, extension cords, even cash in pesos, dollars, and yuan. If you’re wondering how these items slipped past security, you’re not alone.

This crackdown came after Russian vlogger Vitaly Zdorovetskiy — recently deported after nine months in BI custody — claimed in an interview that he had access to his phone while detained. His story sparked outrage, and now the BI is scrambling to prove that “detainees do not get special treatment.” Commissioner Joel Viado insists inspections are routine, but the timing of this raid feels more like damage control than discipline.

If detainees can smuggle in gadgets and cash, what does that say about the system? 

Three BI personnel have already been sacked for cellphone smuggling. But is firing a few scapegoats enough to restore public trust? Or are we just scratching the surface of a deeper culture of negligence and privilege inside detention facilities?

The Palace wants to show accountability, but Filipinos are asking: How many more contraband raids will it take before we see genuine reform? If foreign detainees can enjoy luxuries behind bars, what message does that send to ordinary Filipinos who endure overcrowded jails and harsh conditions?

This isn’t just about cigarettes and cellphones but about fairness, transparency, and the credibility of institutions tasked to uphold the law. And if detainees can easily bend the rules, what more could they do outside those walls?

(Image: Philippine News Agency)