(Eagle News) – A new witness has come out in the open and pointed to former Immigration Deputy Commissioner Marc Red Mariñas as the mastermind in the so-called “pastillas” scheme at the Bureau of Immigration, and how this corruption scheme is continuing up to now.
Immigration officer 2, Jeffrey Dale Ignacio, said he was a member of the pastillas group which collects money from tourists, particularly Chinese nationals who frequent the country, during a hearing of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality chaired by Senator Risa Hontiveros.
Ignacio is among the 19 immigration officers who were charged by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in connection with the pastillas scheme.
But he said that the top officials behind the corruption scheme were not included among those charged by the NBI due to alleged bribes they have paid.
Ignacio presented screenshots of messages about Marinas’ involvement in the pastillas scheme, and the bribery of some NBI officers.
He said that due to certain financial problems, he was forced to be part of the pastillas group in 2017.
He said that he first was invited to the group in June 2017 and he had a screenshot of the invitation.
He said he initially declined the invitation, but because of low pay and with suspension of the augmentation pay for the past few months, he said he was forced to accept the invitation to be a “foot soldier” in the group that facilitates the entry of Chinese nationals.
Ignacio testified that the pastillas scheme was orchestrated by top Immigration officials, including Mariñas who had formerly served as Ports Operations Division chief.
“Hindi po kami makakagalaw kung wala pong basbas sa taas,” he said.
Ignacio said that they were receiving instructions from the “admin” which then receives direction from top officials whom he referred to as “mga boss.”
“Laking gulat ko na sina Sir Red Mariñas at Sir Erwin Ortanez at ibang mga boss na hindi nakasuhan ay nagbigay ng statement sa NBI. Parang ginawa kaming shield para kami ’yung makasuhan at hindi sila makasuhan,” he said.
Ignacio said that a certain Fahad Calaca called him up to tell him that there was a certain NBI insider who will help them out of their mess, but that each of them has to give P100,000.
“Sinabihan kami na mag-ready ng P100,000 bawat tao,” he said.
He said Calaca told him that Marinas will help him get the needed amount, and presented a screenshot of the conversation.
On Aug. 28, Ignacio said that he attended a meeting where he met with Atty. Joshua Paul Capiral who had asked for P100,000 and additional money if there was additional charges regarding the pastillas scheme.
“During our last hearing, we did confirm that NBI’s legal assistance chief, Joshua Paul Capiral, was caught accepting bribes to exclude certain BI officials from being prosecuted,” Hontiveros said.
During the hearing, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go also warned immigration officers involved in the scheme that President Rodrigo Duterte would see to it that they are punished. He pushed for a probe that will identify those involved in the scheme.
Meanwhile, Senator Imee Marcos also moved to cite in contempt the former immigration officers who failed to attend the senate hearing, including Red Marinas, his son Meynard Marinas, Rodolfo Magbuhos and Danieve Binsol.
Magbuhos and Binsol have been identified by Ignacio as among those dealing with Chinese tourists for the pastillas scheme.
(with a report from Meanne Corvera, Eagle News Service)
