Aguirre tagged as 'protector' of 'pastillas' racket, denies accusations

Bookmark this page for updates on the alleged money-making scheme called "pastillas" racket, which facilitates the entry of Chinese tourists who later work in Philippine offshore gaming operators in exchange for grease money.

Sen. Risa Hontiveros, chair of a Senate panel that has held hearings on the 'pastillas' bribery scheme at the Bureau of Immigration, welcomes the filing of raps against former BI ports chief Marc Red Mariñas and 85 others.

"I especially would also like to express my fiercest gratitude to Dale Ignacio and Alex Chiong, whose testimonies have been critical in identifying Mariñas as the ringleader of the scheme. Hindi madali ang tumindig laban sa korapsyon at lumaban sa mga kriminal na nagsasamantala ng ating mga institusyon," she says.

She says, however, that the panel will dig deeper into what she says is "a festering pool of corruption in the BI, and potentially, in other institutions as well."

Hontiveros adds: "Naniniwala ako na may mas malalaking pangalan pa ang sangkot dahil sa laki, lawak, at lalim ng mga illegal business venture na ito na nakapalibot sa Visa Upon Arrival scheme at human trafficking ng mga Pilipina palabas ng Pilipinas." 

"The six-month preventive suspension without pay imposed on 44 Bureau of Immigration personnel and officials involved in the 'pastillas' scam is a welcome and necessary development in our Senate investigation," Sen. Risa Hontiveros says.

She notes however that Jeffrey Dale Ignacio, a whistleblower in the Senate hearings on the alleged bribery scheme at the bureau, is among those suspended.

"I hope the Ombudsman can consider reversing this order against Dale as his testimony, which completed the picture of the corrupt system in the BI, has been invaluable in our Senate probe as well as the NBI’s own investigation." 

She adds: "Nonetheless, I would like to thank Ombudsman Samuel Martires for acting on the results of our investigation, and I trust that his office will also go after the big fish — including those who are no longer in the BI and cannot be the subject of preventive suspension."

The Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality will resume its investigation into alleged bribery at the Bureau of Immigration on Tuesday, September 22.

"While significant inroads have been made and some erring employees of the Bureau of Immigration have been held to account before the law, the big fish have not been caught," the Office of Sen. Risa Hontiveros, who chairs the committee, says in an announcement of the resumption of hearings.

Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente implements a "total revamp" in NAIA Terminals 1, 2 and 3 as part of the Bureau's "continuing reform and transformation efforts."

"The revamp covers all personnel assigned to NAIA terminals from Port Operations Division (POD) Deputies, Terminal Heads down to counter personnel, except Chief, POD which will be decided by [Department of Justice]," he adds in a statement.

"This practice of rotating and changing assignments on a regular and programmed basis is both a means to enable better performance and encourage skill upgrades, as well as a necessary precaution against possible avenues for graft and corruption," he also says.

President Rodrigo Duterte last week ordered the relief of BI personnel believed to be involved in the "pastillas" scheme.