Pastillas gang foot soldier says bosses used them as shield from charges

A self-confessed pastillas gang member on Tuesday said foot soldiers like him were used by the "bosses" as shield against legal repercussions of the bribery scheme in the Bureau of Immigration.  

During the continuation of the Senate panel investigation on the pastillas scheme, Jeffrey Dale Ignacio, Immigration Officer II, said those on top of the group met with them after receiving subpoenas from the National Bureau of Investigation.

"Pagkatapos po ng exposé ni Allison Chiong ay nakatanggap ako ng subpoena mula sa NBI. Pinatawag kaming nakatanggap ng subpoena ni Atty. Joel Ferrer at ng anak niya na si Jeff Ferrer, na alam ko ay mga lawyer na kinuha ni Sir Red Mariñas," Ignacio said.

Mariñas, former chief of the BI Ports Operation Division, was the leader of the pastillas group, Ignacio alleged.

"Sinabihan kami ng mga lawyers na huwag kaming pumunta doon sa subpoena. Tinanong namin kung puwede ba 'yon na hindi puntahan ang subpoena. Sabi nila wala naman formal charges kaya mas OK na hindi, huwag na lang pansinin," he added.

After receiving such legal advice, Ignacio said he was surprised that Mariñas and other big-time BI officials involved in the scheme responded to the NBI. In the end, they were spared and those who did not respond to the subpoena ended up being slapped with charges.

"Parang ginawa kaming shield," he said.

On the other hand, Atty. Joel Ferrer, who was representing Mariñas, refuted Ignacio's claim and said there was never an instance that he talked to Ignacio. He even dared the witness to take the lie detector test.

The connection with nabbed NBI official

In the first week of July, Ignacio said he was informed that an NBI insider will be helping them.

"Sinabihan kami na mag-ready ng P100,000 bawat tao. Namomroblema ako sa paghanap ng ganitong halaga, pero sabi ni Sir Fahad Calaca, tutulong daw si Sir Red sa pangbayad," he said.

Ignacio said he met Atty. Joshua Paul Capiral, the legal assistance chief of the NBI, at a restaurant on August 28.

"P100,000 nga daw ang dapat ihanda at doble kung may additional case," he said.

It was at this point that Ignacio decided to seek help from the NBI and divulge the ongoing collusion between the pastillas group and the NBI personnel. 

Ignacio was instructed to inform the NBI when the next meeting among pastillas gang members would be.

"Nagkaroon ulit ng meeting noong September 5 at September 8. Sa Mazu Seafood Restaurant pareho ito ginanap. Sa unang meeting, ang pumunta lang ay ang mga nakasuhan at ang nagsasalita [ay] si Atty. Capiral," Ignacio said.

On September 8, Ignacio said another meeting took place, but this time, only with the pastillas bosses and foot soldiers, Ignacio said. It was then that they had been allegedly informed by Mariñas that they have a "contact" in the Ombudsman.

NBI Special Action Unit chief Emetrio Dongallo Jr. confirmed during the hearing that the NBI immediately conducted an investigation when Ignacio sought their help.

A few weeks later, Capiral was arrested by the NBI in an entrapment operation. Extortion and graft complaints were filed against him and his brother in the BI, in connection with the pastillas scheme. —KG, GMA News