More than 80 immigration personnel suspended, fired since 2016 —official

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has fired or suspended more than 80 of its own personnel for various offenses since 2016, an official said Thursday.

Immigration spokesperson Dana Sandoval said on Dobol B sa News TV that the bureau has a Board of Discipline that investigates corruption and other anomalies within its ranks.

Several BI personnel have been accused of involvement in the "pastillas" bribery scheme, in which Chinese nationals were allegedly able to enter the country without going through the proper immigration process.

Ombudsman Samuel Martires has ordered the six-month suspension, without pay, of over 40 immigration officials allegedly involved in the scheme.

Sandoval said the suspension order has been implemented.

One of those suspended was immigration officer Jeffrey Dale Ignacio, a self-confessed pastillas "foot soldier" who identified former BI port operations chief Marc Red Mariñas as the leader of the scheme.

Senator Risa Hontiveros, who leads a Senate inquiry into the pastillas scheme, said Ignacio should be spared from suspension.

Ignacio was also among the immigration personnel accused of graft in a complaint before the Ombudsman.—AOL, GMA News