Eighteen officers and employees of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) have been ordered dismissed from the service due to their involvement in the “Pastillas” scheme, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on Friday, June 10.
“The DOJ, in a Resolution released today, found eighteen (18) officers and employees (respondents) of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) administratively liable for Grave Misconduct, Gross Neglect of Duty, and Conduct Prejudicial to the Best Interest of the Service,” DOJ Assistant Secretary Neal Vincent M. Bainto told journalists.
Those ordered dismissed were Supervising Immigration Officer Francis Dennis T. Robles, Senior Immigration Officer Glen Ford. S. Comia, Immigration Officer III Rodolfo I. Magbuhos Jr., Senior Immigration Officer III Deon Carlo G. Albao, Senior Immigration Officer III Danieve H. Binsol, Immigration Officer II Paul Erik C. Borja, Immigration Officer III Abdul Fahad G. Calaca, Senior Immigration Officer III Anthony D. Lopez, Immigration Officer II Gabriel Ernest M. Estacio,
Immigration Officer II Chevy Chase R. Naniong, Immigration Officer I Ralph Ryan M. Garcia, Immigration Officer I Phol B. Villanueva, Senior Immigration Officer III Benlado J. Guevarra, Immigration Officer III Bradford Allen L. So, Senior Immigration Officer Cecille Jonathan P. Orozco, Senior Immigration Officer Erwin S. Ortanez. Immigration Officer I Danilo C. Deudor, and Security Guard 2 Fidel S. Mendoza.
Bainto said those dismissed “facilitated or allowed the facilitation of the arrival and/or departure of Chinese nationals, without undergoing appropriate immigration formalities, for a consideration.”
The scheme was called “Pastillas” because “the bribe money, serving as consideration for the illicit entry of the foreign national, was supposedly rolled up in a manner that resembles a pastillas de leche treat, a popular Filipino milk-based candy.”
“The 18 respondents have been meted the penalty of dismissal from the service, with the imposition of the proper accessory penalties,” Bainto said.
However, Bainto said those ordered dismissed may each appeal their dismissal from the service by filing a motion for reconsideration.
“The administrative case before the DOJ stemmed from the probe conducted by the Fact-Finding Investigation Committee (FFIC) which formed by the BI to investigate the ‘Pastillas Scheme,’” he said.
“The FFIC recommended the conduct of a formal administrative investigation against the 18 respondents, and upon Formal Charge and the ensuing Formal Hearing of the Case, all 18 respondents were found administratively liable,” he added.
Following the FFIC probe, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) subsequently “conducted a wider investigation which led to the filing of administrative and criminal complaints before the OMB (Office of the Ombudsman), he noted.
“The DOJ and OMB have concurrent jurisdiction over administrative disciplinary cases of BI employees,” he explained.
However, Bainto said the DOJ resolution did not include former BI Port Operation Division (BI-POD) Chiefs Marc Red Marinas and Grifton Medina despite being tagged as masterminds in the scheme.
He explained that Marinas “already resigned much earlier that’s why he was not included”in the FFIC investigation.”
He pointed out that both Marinas and Medina were included in the complaint filed by the NBI before the OMB.
The OMB had filed graft charges before the Sandiganbayan against those involved in the “Pastillas” scheme including Marinas and Medina.