BY HANNAH L. TORREGOZA
Another immigration official surfaced at the Senate Tuesday and named a former top executive of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) as the mastermind behind the multi-billion bribery scheme that paved the way for the seamless entry of Chinese nationals into the country.
Jeffrey Dale Ignacio, 33, and one of the BI officials charged by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) with graft, tagged former Immigration Ports Operation Division (POD) chief Marc Red Mariñas as the brains behind the so-called “pastillas” scam in the immigration bureau.
At the continuation of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality hearing, Ignacio said Mariñas was one of those controlling the operation that has been linked to the rise of prostitution and other crimes in the Philippines amid the booming operations of Chinese-owned Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).
“Batay po sa aking personal na kaalaman, at ito ay open secret na rin sa lahat ng miyembro ng Pastillas Group, ang nagbabasbas, nagco-control ng ‘pastillas’ scheme, at kumukubra ng maraming pera ay sina Marc Red Marinas,” Ignacio told the committee chaired by Sen. Risa Hontiveros.
Apart from Marinas, Ignacio also identified Erwin Ortanez (over-all Travel Control and Enforcement Unit (TCEU) for Terminal 1, 2 and 3), Glennford Comia, (TCEU head for Terminal 1), Benlado Guevarra, (TCEU head for Terminal 2), Denden Binsol (TCEU head for Terminal 3), Deon Carlo ALbao (Deputy TCEU head of Terminal 1), Arlan Mendoza (Deputy TCEU head of Terminal 2), and Anthony Lopez (Deputy TCEU head of Terminal 3).
A self-confessed member of the group, Ignacio confirmed the testimony of Allison “Alex” Chiong, the panel’s first witness who exposed the “pastillas” scheme at the Senate. Ignacio said the group keeps a list of foreign nationals that would be allowed unhampered entry in their group’s Viber chat.
“Kapag wala naman sa listahan at may pagdududda, ire-refer sa TCEU (If the foreign national is not part of the list and there’s doubt, they will immediately refer it to the TCEU),” he said.
According to Ignacio, he initially did not want to be part of the group but was forced to join because he fell into a deep financial difficulty and they were not receiving their augmentation pay.
Upon agreeing to be part of the scheme, Ignacio said he and other “foot soldiers” of the group were receiving around P5,000 to P20,000 weekly or for every two weeks.
According to Ignacio, the “pastillas” scheme is still happening even after another person, Grifton Medina, took over Mariñas post.
