Manila, Jan. 24 -- The Bureau of Immigration (BI) is mulling a ban on mobile phone use in its holding facilities in Taguig and Muntinlupa.

Instead, it will resort to the use of landlines and video call booths instead, amid reports of mobile phone smuggling.

"When abuse occurs, action must be taken immediately," Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said in a news release on Saturday.

He added that they will file cases against personnel who will be found involved in the smuggling of unauthorized items inside the facility.

Raids were conducted on detainees in both facilities on Friday.

Viado said the double crackdown followed the statements of deported Russian vlogger Vitaly Zdorovetskiy, who claimed he had access to his mobile phone while i...