Why leave Mariñas out of 'dressing down' over 'pastillas' bribery? — Hontiveros
MANILA, Philippines (Updated 2:52 p.m.) — The senator leading hearings into bribery at the Bureau of Immigration questioned the exclusion of alleged "pastillas" scheme mastermind Marc Red Mariñas, former Port Operations Division chief, from President Rodrigo Duterte's reported scolding of bureau officials tagged in the scam.
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said the chief executive met with 40 personnel from the Bureau of Immigration on Monday night, intending to "give them a dressing down" by forcing them to eat money rolled up in paper like pastillas but, according to the justice secretary, Duterte eventually relented and did not follow through on enforcing the punishment.
"The only surprise is, apparently, we got an update that Red Mariñas is not among the BI people who were scolded by the president last night in Malacanang. So that's the big question right now: Where is Mariñas?" Hontiveros said in Filipino during an interview with ANC's "Headstart."
According to a copy of Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente's written order obtained by Philstar.com shows the former Port Operations Disivison chief was not among the bureau personnel "directed to attend a meeting at Malacañang Palace on November 9, 2020."
Hontiveros added that it was "ironic" given Duterte's promise to enact an all-out fight against corruption and the evidence presented by immigration officials-turned-whistleblowers Jeffrey Dale Ignacio and Alex Chiong tagging Mariñas as the mastermind behind the bribery scheme.
"Si Red Marinas, so far, ang pinakamataas na mastermind o boss na tinukoy nila (is the highest mastermind or boss mentioned by them) so why wasn't he present for that dressing down?"
Mariñas included in NBI complaints
A Department of Justice-led task force is currently investigating government-wide corruption, with a focus on the Bureau of Customs, the Bureau of Internal Revenue, the Department of Public Works and Highways, the Bureau of Immigration, and the Land Registration Authority.
The president's campaign against graft, however, has been met with skepticism as some question his reluctance to fire big-name appointees such as public works secretary Mark Villar and Health Secretary Francisco Duque III.
Hontiveros last month said alleged masterminds Red Mariñas and his father Maynardo Mariñas, former head of the BI Special Operation Communications Unit have amassed P40 billion since 2017 by facilitating the entry of Chinese nationals into the country through the "pastillas" scheme and abuse of the Visa Upon Arrival (VUA) system.
READ: Whisteblower claims 'pastillas' money set aside for Immigration exec's election run
The Office of the Ombudsman last week charged 86 BI officials with graft for their involvement in the "pastillas" scam.
"[T]his is a good development, with 86 people, who are allegedly involved in the pastillas scheme and other rackets in our borders, who are facing charges. But as I say over and over again, the story does not end here, we want to catch big fish," Hontiveros said partially in Filipino.
She also lauded the inclusion of Red Mariñas among the 86 charged under the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. More than half of these officials were also placed under preventive suspension by the Ombudsman in late October.
'Dressing down' from Duterte not for show, Palace says
Immigration Commissioner Morente continues to enjoy the president's full trust and confidence, Malacañang said Tuesday afternoon, defending yet another appointee in an agency wracked by corruption allegations.
"You know the rule, all presidential apppointees serve at the pleasure of the president. When there is no more trust, they will no longer serve," presidential spokesman Harry Roque said in Filipino during a virtual briefing after being pressed on Morente's standing with the chief executive.
This is not the first time that Duterte has defended Morente, who served as his chief of police when he was still mayor of Davao City.
In February, as the Senate investigated the "pastillas" scheme, Duterte expressed deep fondness for Morente at a speech delivered in Davao City, saying : "Mahal ko 'yan kasi chief of police 'yan dito (I love him because he used to be chief of police here)."
Roque also disputed criticism that the summoning of the officals to Malacañang on Monday night was performative or for show, insisting that it was instead a clear message from the president to stop corruption.
"The president gave a sermon that this corruption should really stop. His giving of 'pastillas' is also symbolic of his anger against corruption but, like I said, he didn't force it. But I think the message has been received because not a single person, out of the individuals there uttered a single word," Roque said partially in Filipino.
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