MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte is finalizing a list of Bureau of Immigration (BI) officials he will dismiss for their alleged involvement in the “pastillas” scheme at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
Duterte aired his frustration on Tuesday, saying some of the officials on his list were his fraternity brothers.
“I think I have to complete the list of officials that I’m going to fire, to dismiss from the Bureau of Immigration,” Duterte said. “Ayaw ko kasi ‘yung iba kilala ko. Kaya lang ‘yung iba ko mga brod ko. Iyong iba were with me in ‘88 when I first ran for the mayorship.”
Firing “fraternity brothers” were nothing new to President Duterte after he previously sacked Al Argosino and Michael Robles, both associate commissioners of the BI, who were accused of extorting P50 million from Jack Lam for the release of Chinese nationals working for the gaming tycoon’s casino in Pampanga.
“Both Argosino and Robles were my fraternity brothers, they helped me in my election campaign,” the Chief Executive said.
Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said Duterte gave Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente an opportunity to address the corruption issues in the agency following the discovery of the so-called “pastillas” scheme in airport terminals.
Under the pastillas scheme, Chinese nationals would pay thousands of pesos as bribe to be allowed entry into the country without going through the usual process.
President Duterte have recently ordered the relief of around 19 BI personnel after receiving reports and finding probable cause to remove them from the bureau due to their supposed unlawful money-making activity./PN
