A BRIBERY syndicate may be deeply entrenched in the Bureau of Immigration (BI) and operating right under the noses of its officials and employees.
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra says that if such a syndicate does exist, it may have ties with groups in China and maybe quite challenging to break.
I agree with Guevarra in the belief that some Chinese tour operators seem to be in cahoots with local Immigration officers. Some of them were accused recently in a Senate investigation of pocketing grease money for every Chinese national they allowed to enter the country as tourists who later on work as employees in Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGOs) centers.
Of the P10,000 each “tourist” pays to tour operators, P2,000 goes to immigration officers. The money was previously placed inside a bond paper rolled like pastillas wrapper. Although the money is now stuffed in brown salary envelopes, the modus has retained its name.
It is comforting to note that Beijing is reportedly coordinating with local authorities, giving them information such as the names of hundreds of Chinese fugitives who allegedly bribed their way to reach the Philippines.
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Even if there is a syndicate of foreign tour operators corrupting some of our immigration officials and front liners, no amount of bribe can tempt them if they are morally upright and have a strong sense of duty to the country.
Guevarra says pending is the approval of a law that will raise the salaries of BI personnel. This corner hopes its passage comes soon. Raising the pay to a decent level can help a lot to stave off temptations.
To sweeten the pot, add some perquisites such as extended leaves and bonuses for a job well done. These may help dissuade them from thinking of augmenting their income through illicit means.
A routine rotation of assignments or reshuffle of personnel may be considered a good move to avoid fraternization with tour operators.
Equally important is for the National Bureau of Investigation to identify not only the corrupted but the corruptors as well. The bribers and their intermediaries should taste the bitter medicine of the law. NBI investigators can get them to spill the beans on their foreign counterparts.
While the local bribers are indicted, our government can blacklist the unreachable foreign operators and recommend their prosecution by their respective governments.
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SHORT BURSTS. For comments or reactions, email [email protected] or tweet @Side_View. Read current and past issues of this column at http://www.tempo.com.ph/category/opinion/firing-line/
