Senate adopts report seeking raps vs. ‘pastillas scam’ suspects

The Senate on Wednesday adopted the committee report recommending charges against individuals allegedly involved in the “pastillas” bribery scheme at the Bureau of Immigration (BI).

Committee Report No 542, signed by 11  senators, was approved by the upper house more than two years since the Senate committee on women, children, family relations, and gender equality started its investigation.

Under the scheme, Chinese nationals could seamlessly enter the country by paying P10,000. The name "pastillas" came about because the bribe money was given in paper rolls that looked like the Philippine treat.

According to Senator Risa Hontiveros, chair of the panel, the combined revenues from the pastillas kickbacks and visa upon arrival (VUA) scheme is estimated to be in the billions of pesos.

“We recommend the filing of criminal cases against Marc Red Mariñas, Erwin Ortanez, Bienlado Guevara, Arlan Mendoza, Fidel Mendoza, Jonathan Orozcol, Grifton Medina, Glenn Ford Comia, Deon Carlo Albao, Rodolfo Magbuhos, Anthony Lopez, Danieve Binsol, Dennis Robles, Bradford Allen So, Gabriel Etacio, Ralph Ryan Garcia, Phol Villanueva, Abdul Calaca, Danilo Deudor, Marc Macababad, Cherie Ricolcol, Abduhafez Hadjibasher, Amboy Lucero and George Bituin and Salahudin Hadjinoor for violations of RA No. 3019 or the Anti Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, without prejudice to other charges that may be levied against them including but not limited to violations of Republic Act No. 9208 or the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act and other special laws,” Hontiveros said in her sponsorship speech.

The committee also recommended charges against Danieve Binsol, Dimple Mahyumi Mallari, Marc Red Mariñas, Maynardo Mariñas, Grifton Medina, and Arlan Mendoza over their alleged failure to file their respective statement of assets, liabilities, and net worth (SALN).

Furthermore, the committee wanted former Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II to be held liable for the issuance of Department Order No. 41 as he may “reasonably be assumed to have known that the consequence of both actions would be to grant” Marc Red Mariñas and Maynardo Mariñas “near-unfettered discretion over the entry of hundreds of thousands of Chinese individuals."

She said this is not only a potential corruption and conflict of interest issue, but also a national security issue.

The Bureau of Internal Revenue was also asked to conduct a tax audit of travel agencies involved in the said anomalies in the BI.

Lastly, the panel recommended the crafting of “long-overdue” reforms in the BI, particularly in areas that compromise check and balance mechanisms.

In November 2020, the National Bureau of Investigation Special Action Unit recommended to the Ombudsman the filing of criminal and administrative charges against 86 individuals allegedly involved in the pastillas scheme.

In February 2020, President Rodrigo Duterte relieved BI officials and employees allegedly linked to the scheme. — BM, GMA News