Ombudsman Fired 45 BI Officials Involved in “Pastillas Scam”
45 officials of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) were sacked from their job after found guilty of being involved in the “pastillas scam”.
The 45 BI employees were fired for their service after being tied to the infamous “pastillas” scheme, according to a ruling authorized by Ombudsman Samuel Martires on June 6, 2022. In exchange for $10,000, Chinese nationals are allowed to enter the country illegally.
BI staff were found guilty of gross Misconduct Prejudicial to the Best Interests of the Service, according to the 143-page ruling of the Office of the Ombudsman. A fine equal to one year’s salary shall be imposed if the penalty of dismissal from the service can no longer be served due to the respondent’s removal from public office, based on the report.
Other administrative allegations of egregious or serious dishonesty and gross negligence of duty, on the other hand, were dropped. The BI officers and personnel were also found criminally responsible by the Office of the Ombudsman in an earlier decision endorsed by Martires on May 27, 2022, as graft charges were later filed before the Sandiganbayan.
A graft inquiry has been opened by the Ombudsman against 41 other BI employees. Those were discovered to be involved in the case, which was based on an alleged plot by former Deputy Commissioner Marc Marias and Immigration officials to carry out their scheme.
Marias was also accused of colluding with Empire International Travel & Tours’ Liya Wu to provide Chinese tourists preferential treatment in the Philippines. Marias’ group allegedly took $10,000 per passenger and gathered $1.43 million, triggering the launch of a graft case against them, according to government prosecutors.
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