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Go warns erring BI officials: Do not wait to be fed 'cash pastillas'


Senator Christopher "Bong" Go on Tuesday warned the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to cleanse their ranks and not to wait until President Rodrigo Duterte orders erring officials to swallow 'cash pastillas.'

"Sa mga sangkot at kasabwat sa anomalya diyan sa Bureau of Immigration, huwag ninyong hintayin na ipakain sa inyo ang pastillas na pera na kinotong ninyo ang laman," Go said during the continuation of the Senate hearing on the pastillas scheme.

The pastillas scheme was named after a Filipino delicacy wrapped in a paper because the bribe money involved were allegedly wrapped the same way and paid in exchange for the seamless entry of Chinese high rollers and offshore gaming operations in the country.

Go said during Duterte's tenure as Davao City mayor, the latter gave a similar punishment.

"Mayroon nangloloko ng titling — mga pekeng titulo ay pinakain niya ng titulo, at talagang ninguya nung manloloko na nagbebenta ng pekeng titulo," the former special aide of the President said.

"So huwag ninyo na lang pong hintayin na ‘yung pastillas na ipapakain sa inyo ay pera ang laman, mahihirapan po kayong nguyain ito," he added.

Go further said that removal of BI officials can be expected once proven that they are involved in the pastillas scheme.

"Even ang Pangulo ay may mga naririnig siya na korapsyon pa rin diyan sa Bureau of Immigration, huwag ninyo na pong hintayin, heads will roll again just like nangyari sa BuCor at sa iba pang ahensya," he said.

He added that he would also recommend the creation of a task force to investigate the BI and purge it from corruption.

During the hearing, a new witness named Jeffrey Dale Ignacio, Immigration Officer II, corroborated whistleblower Allision Chiong's previous testimony about the pastillas scheme.

He tagged former Ports Operation Division chief Marc Red Mariñas as the alleged leader of the pastillas group operating within the BI.

Mariñas, not present during the hearing, has previously denied involvement in the pastillas scheme.

He was one of the four individuals cited in contempt by the Senate panel for skipping the hearing. Senate committee on women chairperson Risa Hontiveros ordered the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms to present them in the next hearing.—AOL, GMA News

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