Drilon calls for overhaul in Bureau of Immigration amid ‘pastillas’ scheme probe
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Franklin Drilon is calling for an overhaul of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) amid the ongoing investigation on the alleged “pastillas” scheme within the agency in which bribes were purportedly paid to facilitate the entry of hordes of Chinese visitors into the country.
In calling for this move, Drilon cited the arrest on Monday night of Atty. Joshua Paul Capiral, chief of the National Bureau of Investigation legal assistance section, for allegedly accepting bribes from those involved in the modus operandi.
“This is really shocking and this gives credence to the need for us to clean up the BI. I would strongly recommend to the chair and committee that we should immediately recommend the top to the bottom reorganization of the BI,” Drilon told the Senate committee on women, children, family relations, and gender equality that was conducting a hearing on the issue on Tuesday.
“Because apparently, after your committee unearths these anomalies and investigations are conducted, patuloy pa rin po [ang irregularities], and worse there is already a coverup,” he added.
During the hearing, Atty. Janet Francisco, chief of the NBI Anti-Human Trafficking Division confirmed that others involved in the scam allegedly paid bribes to Capiral so they can be excluded in the cases filed by the NBI against immigration personnel. So far, the NBI has already filed a complaint against 19 immigration officers over the alleged scheme.
Drilon said the arrest of Capiral only gives credence to the allegation of whistleblower and immigration officer Allison Chiong that the accused BI personnel who were not charged could in fact be guilty as well for the alleged racket.
“Because of the coverup and as shown by this shocking revelation, there is a clear suppression of the evidence. So this is a very serious thing,” he added.
“Ang kakapal ng mga mukha ng mga nasa BI eh. Nag-iimbestiga na nga, naglalagay pa para hindi masama sa kaso. I don’t know what is happening to us,” Drilon also said.
(Those in the BI are thick-faced. They are being investigated and yet they provide bribes so they can be excluded from the cases. I don’t know what is happening to us.) [ac]
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