The Court of Appeals (CA) has affirmed the March 21, 2022 decision of the Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) which dismissed from the service three immigration officers for their involvement in the controversial “pastillas” scheme at the airports.

In a decision written by Associate Justice Maximo de Leon, affirmed was the dismissal of Bureau of Immigration (BI) officers Aurelio S. Lucero, George V. Bituin and Salahuddin P. Hadjinoor for grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.

“As the Office of the Ombudsman found Lucero, Bituin and Hadjinoor to be part of the ‘pastillas group’ based on the overwhelming substantial evidence against them, We see no reason to depart from the same. The ruling of the Office of the Ombudsman as regards Lucero, Bituin and Hadjinoor is affirmed,” the CA ruled.    

Under the “pastillas” scheme, entry of foreign nationals – most of them Chinese workers in Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) – were unhampered without their credentials checked for monetary consideration.

Investigation conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Senate showed that the bribe money is wrapped and made to appear as pastillas, a noted Filipino delicacy.

More than 100 immigration officers were charged criminally and administratively before the OMB by the NBI.

In 2022, the OMB charged 43 of them before the Sandiganbayan with violations of Section 3 of Republic Act No. 3019, the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, for giving unwarranted benefits and preference to more than 100 Chinese passengers who managed to enter the country without the required profiling and screening processes.      

In the same CA decision, the appellate court granted the petition of BI frontline officer Frances Meeka Flores, who was also implicated in the “pastillas” scheme.

The CA ordered her reinstatement to her previous position. “Accordingly, the penalty of dismissal from service meted against Frances Meeka Flores is set aside and she is ordered to be immediately reinstated to her former position” it said.

It also ruled that Flores is entitled to backwages from the time of her unlawful dismissal on 21 March 2022, at the rate last received by her without qualification and deduction, until the date of her actual reinstatement.