Senator Risa Hontiveros on Wednesday welcomed the National Bureau of Investigation’s (NBI) move to file criminal charges against the 19 immigration personnel said to be involved in the so-called “pastillas scam.”
Hontiveros, who initiated a Senate investigation into the seamless entry of Chinese nationals—mostly working at the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO)—said the move is a “major step forward in protecting the country’s borders and the welfare of Filipinos, especially women and children.”
“We commend the NBI for taking decisive action against those who have betrayed the country and contributed to the victimization of many Filipino women and children,” Hontiveros said.
It was Hontiveros, as chair of the Senate committee on women and children, who exposed the “pastillas” scam, showing how some Bureau of Immigration (BI) officials offered Chinese nationals—many of whom are working at POGOs—are allowed easy entry into the Philippines for a fee.
During the hearings, the senator showed public digital chat logs, undercover videos and testimony of Allison Chiong, a whistleblower at the BI, who detailed how immigration officers escorted and provided “red carpet services” for Chinese workers as they illegally entered the country.
Senators have earlier linked the rampant illegal and undocumented entry of Chinese nationals into the country to the increasing number of criminal activities such as prostitution, kidnapping and labor law violations involving POGO employees.
The lawmaker said she hopes that the NBI’s investigation of the corruption in BI will lead to the filing of criminal cases against more immigration officials as well as other private individuals.
Hontiveros’ committee had also uncovered the involvement of some travel agencies in the so-called “pastillas” scam.
“In our committee hearings, the evidence presented pointed to how systemic and far-reaching the ‘pastillas’ scheme was. There were people in the higher levels of the BI who were supposedly on the take and benefitting from this illegal enterprise,” she pointed out.
“Kung gusto natin matigil ang paglabag sa ating batas at ang pag-abuso sa ating kababaihan at kabataan, kailangan natin mahanap at makasuhan ang bawat padrino at backer na nakikinabang sa kalokohang ito, (If we want to stop these law violations and the abuse on our women and children, we need to find and file charges against these sponsors and backers who gain from these illegal activities),” she stressed.