DOJ warns of resurgence of immigration escort scam
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Wednesday said the Department of Justice (DOJ) is looking at the possible resurgence of an “escort service,” similar to the so-called pastillas bribery scheme, allegedly involving immigration personnel who allow entry or exit of passengers despite problems in their documents.
“The past few days I’ve been receiving many calls about certain acts of corruption being practiced in the BI (Bureau of Immigration). Escort services for that matter, and we’re looking at that right now. I will be in conference with the immigration commissioner by tomorrow,” Remulla said in a press briefing.
“This is like the pastillas [scheme]. This is one form of the pastillas that we’re looking at. It’s both inward and outward. We have a problem at the airport,” he added.
Remulla was referring to an incident bared by the BI on Wednesday when it intercepted a woman who presented a document with the fake signature of Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (Iacat) Undersecretary in Charge and Justice Undersecretary Nicholas Ty.
Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco said the 30-year-old victim claimed she was an employee of the Department of Justice (DOJ) and was bound for Singapore for an official travel, together with Ty.
The victim presented a travel authority that was allegedly signed by Ty, BI said.
However, inconsistencies in the signature prompted the BI to verify the document with the DOJ.
It was later confirmed that the travel authority was fake and that the victim was recruited to work in the United Arab Emirates as an entertainer.
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The BI said the victim supposedly paid 38,000 AED for her fake documents.
She said her documents were given to her at a fast food chain near Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3.
“The fake documents presented in this case are ridiculous. Faking the signature of the undersecretary in charge of Iacat to avoid scrutiny is the idea of these illegal recruiters and human traffickers who will not stop finding ways to evade inspection,” Tansingco said.
