The Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) has ordered the dismissal from government service of 45 officials and personnel of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) over their alleged involvement in the “Pastillas” extortion scheme.
In a 143-page decision dated last March 21, the OMB found them “administratively liable for grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.”
“In case the penalty of Dismissal from Service can no longer be served due to respondent’s separation from public office, a fine equivalent to one (1) year salary shall be imposed. Nevertheless, all accessory penalties of Dismissal from Service shall apply,” the OMB said.
Ordered dismissed were:
Senior Immigration Officer Grifton S. Medina, former acting chief of the BI Ports Operation Division (BI-POD)
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
Security Guard 2 Fidel S. Mendoza
Immigration Officer III Arlan Edward D. Mendoza
Immigration Officer III Vincent Bryan Allas
Senior Immigration Officer Er German T. Robin
Immigration Officer I Mark Dollete Macababbad
Immigration Officer III Aurelio S. Lucero III
Immigration Officer III George V. Bituin
Immigration Officer III Salahudin P. Hadinjoor
Immigration Officer I Cherrypie P. Ricolcol
Immigration Officer I Carl Jordan C. Perez
Immigration Officer II Andulhafez D. Hadjibasher
Immigration Officer III Jeffrey Dale S. Ignacio
Immigration Officer I Clint John Q. Simene
Immigration Officer II Asliyah A. Maruhom
Immigration Officer I Maria Victoria C. Jogno
Immigration Officer I Hamza U. Pacasum
Immigration Officer II Manuel B. Sarmiento III
Immigration Officer I Dimple Mahyumi R. Mallari
Immigration Officer I Rovan Rey S. Manlapas
Gerrymyle G. Franco
John Michael S. Angeles
Francis Meeka E. Flores
Sadruddin C. Usudan
John Kessler B. Cortez
Mohammad Sahary B. Lomondot
Jon Derrick Y. Go
Aira G. Inoue
On the other hand, the OMB dismissed for lack of jurisdiction the administrative charges against former BI-POD chief Marc Red A. Marinas, Angelica B. Omamppo, Yanni M. Hao, Cathy D. Du, and George Gilbert T. Ong.
The OMB also dismissed the charges of serious or gross dishonesty and gross neglect of duty against 40 other persons.
The scheme was called “Pastillas” because “the bribe money, serving as consideration for the illicit entry of the foreigners, was supposedly rolled up in a manner that resembles a pastillas de leche treat, a popular Filipino milk-based candy.”
The Department of Justice (DOJ), in resolving the administrative case filed before it, issued a resolution last Friday, June 10, that also ordered the dismissal of Robles, Comia, Magbuhos Jr., Albao, Binsol, Borja, Calaca, Lopez, Estacio, Naniong, Garcia, Villanueva, Guevarra, So, Orozco, Ortanez, Deudor and Fidel S. Mendoza.
DOJ Assistant Secretary Neal Vincent M. Bainto earlier said the 18 BI officials and employees were found “liable for Grave Misconduct, Gross Neglect of Duty, and Conduct Prejudicial to the Best Interest of the Service, in relation to the so called ‘Pastillas Scheme.’’’
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 administrative case before the DOJ stemmed from the Fact-Finding Investigation Committee (FFIC) 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.