BY HANNAH L. TORREGOZA
Former Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II has once again denied any involvement in the money-making scheme dubbed as “pastillas” by some Bureau of Immigration (BI) officials and personnel who were reportedly taking advantage of the Chinese nationals entering the country.
Aguirre physically appeared at Tuesday’s hybrid hearing of the Senate committee on women and children, chaired by Sen. Risa Hontiveros, to refute the allegation hurled against him by columnist Ramon Tulfo.
“I am here today not just to directly refute the allegation of Mr. Ramon Tulfo that I am the head of the syndicate in the so-called ‘pastillas’ scheme, but to prove that his accusation is utterly devoid of basis and serves nothing but to malign me or besmirch my reputation,” Aguirre told the Senate panel.
Aguirre also reasoned out he has already resigned as Department of Justice (DoJ) secretary at the time the issue cropped up.
“As such, I am bereft of power or authority to control, much less head, a syndicate operating in the BI,” he said.
The ex-justice chief, however, reiterated that the visa-upon-arrival program that the DoJ initiated during his stint as justice chief was a “good project” that many countries have adopted.
As a matter of fact, Aguirre said Tulfo’s sister, then Department of Tourism (DoT) Secretary Wanda Teo, kept requesting the agency and making follow-ups on the formal issuance of the circular for its implementation.
The visa-upon-arrival program had not been subject of any controversy or scandal since its implementation in August 2015 up until the time he resigned on April 5, 2018.
Aguirre said he and Tulfo used to be friends, but the latter had a grudge against him when he failed to help him consolidate the libel cases that were filed against him by the Iglesia ni Cristo before different courts in the country. (Hannah L. Torregoza)
