Aguirre tagged as 'protector' of 'pastillas' racket, denies accusations
MANILA, Philippines — Columnist Ramon Tulfo tagged former Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II as the supposed protector of Immigration officials involved in the “
At the Senate inquiry into corruption at the Bureau of Immigration, Tulfo, citing information from whistleblower Allison Chiong, accused Aguirre of being the “protector of the syndicate” operating the “
“He castrated the powers of [Immigration] Commissioner [Jaime] Morente.
He said that Aguirre removed the powers from the Immigration commissioner and “arrogated the power onto himself, the power to assign and reassign Immigration personnel.”
Tulfo also pointed out that it was Aguirre who appointed Maynard Mariñas as chief of Special Operations and Communications Unit and son, Marc Red Mariñas as then-Port Operations Division chief.
Tulfo also accused the father-son tandem of riding a chopper to Mulanay, Quezon to hand over money to Aguirre, an allegation
Speaking to the Senate panel, the younger
He previously denied knowledge of the “
Aguirre to sue Tulfo, again
Former Justice chief Aguirre vehemently denied Tulfo’s allegations and said he will file new cases against the columnist.
“The charges of Ramon Tulfo are absolute lies and
Aguirre slapped Tulfo with several libel cases before the Manila Regional Trial Courts over allegations
“Anywhere, I could face anybody for I am
He also said that he will write to Sen. Risa Hontiveros that
Hontiveros said that the panel will invite Aguirre in the next Senate hearing.
Aguirre added: “He (Tulfo) wanted to get back at me because I did not grant his request to
The former Justice chief did not expound on his accusation against Tulfo.
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.
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