MANILA – The National Bureau of Immigration Special Action Unit (NBI – SAU) has filed criminal and administrative charges against its 86 personnel who were allegedly involved in “pastillas” scheme before the Office of the Ombudsman.
The NBI-SAU named eight high-ranking officials as part of the core of the “pastillas” group and tagged Former Division Chief of Port Operations Division Marc Red Mariñas as its mastermind.
Also implicated were all terminal heads of the Terminal Control and Enforcement Unit in NAIA 1, 2 and 3 and the over-all head of BI Border Control and Intelligence Unit as part of the alleged syndicate.
Based on NBI’s 27-page complaint, some members of the group also received gifts and other benefits which included “sexual favors from trafficked foreign women” on top of bribe money.
“The case against the 86 BI personalities is air-tight and was boosted by revelations made and evidence provided by Immigration Officer Dale Ignacio,” NBI SAU chief Atty. Jun Donggallo Jr. said.
He added that Ignacio was an “insider” as he was part of the syndicate’s exclusive Viber group. He also played a significant role as keeper of lists of Chinese nationals favored by the group, Donggallo added.
Out of the 86 BI personnel charged, 67 were new personalities.
This “pastillas” scheme transpires when Chinese high-rollers and offshore gaming workers bribe Immigration officers with wads of cash in exchange for their unhampered entry to the country./PN
