Marcos looking into BI corruption allegations

President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. on Tuesday said he is looking into the corruption allegations within the Bureau of Immigration.

''Well, of course, we're looking at it. But, you know, mahirap mapag-aralan nang mabuti kung white paper na hindi napirmahan at saka walang specifics. But nonetheless, everything like this, we look into it, and we will continue to do that,'' Marcos told reporters in an ambush interview.

(But it's difficult to study a white paper carefully if it's not signed and doesn't have specifics.)

Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado already denied corruption allegations in the bureau, including the supposed mishandling of cases related to the illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) in the country. 

In a press statement, Viado dismissed as “patently false” the accusations purportedly contained in a letter sent by BI employees to the President last week, wherein they supposedly accused the BI chief of corruption. 

The BI employees — who wished to remain anonymous due to concerns of retaliation from Viado —mentioned in the letter the alleged corrupt practices under the present BI leadership including the supposed mishandling of POGO-related cases and their deportation.

Viado has dismissed the letter as part of a “smear campaign.” 

He also accused a senior BI official of fueling the propaganda after the BI chief supposedly rejected his request to release a Chinese national linked to a powerful political figure from the previous administration.

Meanwhile, in a separate press briefing, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro said pieces of evidence are needed to verify the claims of corruption within the agency.

''So, hinihikayat po kung mayroon po talaga kayong reklamo kahit hindi na po kayo magpakilala ibigay ninyo lang po iyong ebidensiya para po mayroon naman pong dahilan para magkaroon nang mas malalim na pag-iimbestiga,'' Castro said.

(We are encouraging those complainants to provide evidence to support a deeper investigation on the matter.) —VAL, GMA Integrated News