Graft, extortion raps filed vs NBI lawyer, brod

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed criminal charges against a National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) lawyer in connection with the money-making scheme “pastillas” in the Bureau of the Immigration.

Charges of graft and extortion were filed against Joshua Paul Capiral, chief of the NBI legal assistance division, and his brother Christopher John, an immigration officer, before the Manila Regional Trial Court on Sept. 25, DOJ Senior Deputy State Prosecutor Richard Anthony Fadullon said.

The Capiral brothers were accused of receiving bribes from respondents in the pastillas scam.

Fadullon said the court recommended bail of P220,000 and P190,000 for Capiral and Christopher John, respectively.

In a six-page resolution, DOJ Prosecutor Honey Rose Delgado said they found probable cause to indict the respondents for graft.

A separate complaint for violation of Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials was filed against Capiral before the Manila Metropolitan Trial Court.

The NBI has filed a complaint for graft against 19 immigration officers and an owner of a travel agency before the Office of Ombudsman over the pastillas racket.

On Sept. 21, the Capiral brothers were arrested during an entrapment operation at the NBI headquarters after they received P200,000 in marked money from one of the respondents.