Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra has ordered the termination of eight job order contractors allegedly involved in extortion of P9.2 million from 15 South Koreans.
Guevarra gave the order to the Bureau of Immigration (BI) after he himself suspended 10 BI officers and employees also allegedly involved in the extortion.
“Upon review of the terms of engagement of the job order contractors and the evidence adduced against them, the Justice Secretary found that factual and legal bases exist for the immediate termination of their contracts,” said Department of Justice (DoJ) spokesperson Undersecretary Markk Perete in a statement..
Guevarra took action based on the complaints of the 15 South Koreans who were arrested last March 6 by BI officers and employees in Korean Town in Angeles City, Pampanga.
“They were thereafter brought to the BI Main Office where they were forced to shell out various sums of money under threat of detention,” Perete noted.
Meanwhile, the 10 BI officers and employees who are part of the team that conducted the arrest and allegedly extorted the Koreans have been placed under preventive suspension for 90 days.
“The ten BI officers and employees are now subject to proceedings to determine their administrative liability for grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service,” said the spokesman.
Perete earlier said the secretary “found a prima facie case against said officers and employees for grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.”
Last April 8, Guevarra also ordered them to submit their respective answers within 72 hours from receipt of the formal charge issued against them. (Jeffrey Damicog)
