President Duterte has decided to keep Bureau of Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente for now but asked him to cooperate with the official investigation into the alleged “pastillas” bribery scam.
The President said Morente must “tell the story” about the alleged bribery scandal hounding the Immigration bureau amid the probes initiated by Congress as well as the Department of Justice.
“I think there is going to be an investigation by Congress. I defer to Congress first before I make a decision. Parang wala masabi na kung ano man masabi nandiyaan siya. He tells the story from where he stands,” he said.
Asked if Morente will stay in his post for the meantime, the President said: “Wala akong gagawin. Not yet, not after the investigation.”
For now, Duterte said Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra is also looking into the bribery scheme where Immigration personnel were given bribes in exchange for the easy entry of Chinese workers in online gaming hubs.
“I think the Secretary of Justice is also doing his homework at kung sino lang mauna but if there will be somebody who will tell me that these are the things which should have not happened or have happened,” he said.
Duterte also warned that more Immigration personnel may be terminated for alleged involvement in corruption. He said he intends to hire topnotch replacements to fill the vacancies in the Immigration bureau.
“I am insisting on the ouster of all involved. I think we have terminated…but there will be more. I think meron yatang napaalis but they should be replaced. All of them,” he said.
Duterte asked the Civil Service Commission to submit a list of competent contenders to replace the Immigration personnel who have been relieved from the post.
“I am asking the Commissioner of the Civil Service to give me a list of first grade nung mga nakapasa, good records scholastically. Puwedeng ibigay ‘yung pangalan. I will replace almost all of them,” he said.
Last Thursday, the President ordered the relief of Immigration personnel involved in the bribery scheme targeting Chinese nationals planning to work in Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators. Duterte considers such anomaly as a grave form of corruption that cannot be tolerated by the government, the Palace said. (Genalyn Kabiling)
