BI says ‘Arlene’ may have fled PH

A woman named “Arlene,” possibly the one allegedly behind case “fixing” in the judiciary, has reportedly left the country.

A Bureau of Immigration (BI) official said their records showed that “Arlene” left the Philippines on Oct. 16.

Radio news reports had it that the “Arlene” who left was the same “Ma’am Arlene” being sought for investigation for allegedly being a “decision” broker in the courts.

The BI official, however, who refused to be named, said he checked the woman’s travel records only after inquiries were made about her.

“She is not necessarily the same ‘Ma’am Arlene’ being implicated in the issue,” said the official. “We’re just saying that this certain person [that we were asked about] had left the country.”

Supreme Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez earlier said there were three “Ma’am Arlenes” suspected of involvement in case fixing in the Court of Appeals. But only the “Ma’am Arlene” who was a judiciary employee would be investigated, he added.

Marquez’s office has established her identity but has chosen not to reveal it pending the results of its investigation.

The second and third “Ma’am Arlenes” are reportedly a former employee at the Manila Regional Trial Court and a staffer at Manila City Hall.

Reports have dubbed “Ma’am Arlene” as the “Napoles of the judiciary,” referring to Janet Lim-Napoles who is the suspected mastermind of the P10-billion corruption scam involving legislative pork barrel funds.

“Ma’am Arlene” supposedly foots the bills for conferences and junkets abroad by members of the judiciary, among other favors. Tina G. Santos

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