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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider BI whistleblower placed under WPP

BI whistleblower placed under WPP

Published Feb 21, 2020 12:00 am
By Jeffrey Damicog  A Bureau of Immigration (BI) whistleblower who testified about the so-called “pastillas” scheme has been provisionally placed under the Witness Protection Program (WPP), said Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Friday. Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra (TOTO LOZANO/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO /MANILA BULLETIN) Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra (TOTO LOZANO/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO /MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)  “Nasa WPP custody na yung whistleblower (The whistleblower is now under the custody of the WPP),” said Guevarra. On Thursday, BI officer Allison Chiong testified before the Senate committee chaired by Sen. Risa Hontiveros and confirmed the involvement of BI personnel in the scheme. “We took him in upon the request of Sen. Hontiveros and the Senate President due to security concerns,” explained Guevarra. “He (Chiong) will be evaluated thoroughly by the WPP before he could be considered for full coverage," the Secretary said. Hontivers’ Senate Committee on Women and Children has been conducting a probe into illegal activities brought about bythe Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) industry. During Thursday’s hearing, Chiong, a frontline immigration officer tasked to examine the travel documents of departing and arriving passengers rotating in the three Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) terminals, said the scheme resulted from the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) decision to remove the overtime pay of immigration officers in 2016. He said that some immigration officers decided to offer escort services to foreigners who are high-casino rollers to cope with the reduction in their salaries. Chiong revealed each cooperating immigration officer would receive around P20,000 weekly for NAIA Terminal 1 duties and P8,000 weekly for Terminal 3 duties He said BI Control Enforcement Unit (TCEU) chiefs Bien Guevarra, Glenn Comia, and Den Binsol, all of whom were then under former Ports Operation Division (POD) Chief Red Mariñas, decided to take over when they sensed the lucrative operation. READ MORE: BI official testifies at Senate, reveals inner workings of ‘pastillas’ scheme
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