Whistleblower Allison Chiong stood by his allegations of corruption within the Bureau of Immigration (BI) dubbed as the “pastillas scheme” and claimed it is impossible for immigration officials to be unaware of it.
In the Senate hearing earlier, Chiong revealed how the whole modus is being done in the agency, “At the terminal 1, the pastillas may be estimated at 20,000 weekly.”
As evidence, the witness referred to the Viber conversations of Immigration officials he had previously exposed. The officials have denied the said allegation.
“They are tipped on the list of Chinese passengers who have paid so they could enter the country without having to pass through thorough inspection,” Chiong said in Filipino.
Former Deputy Commissioner Marc Red Marinas denied any knowledge of the transactions made with the Chinese nationals and even called Chiong the director of his own lies and allegations.
Meanwhile, the name of former Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II was brought up by columnist Ramon Tulfo.
“The government will not know about the ways and going ons inside the mafia without a witness. Chiong is a member of the mafia so how can you not believe him?” Tulfo asked.
Aguirre has belied the accusation through a text message and brought up the fact that he filed numerous libel cases against the columnist in the past.
“The charges of Ramon Tulfo are absolute lies and complete fabrications. I was told that he was the only (one) saying that in the Senate. That even his so-called whistleblower did not say what he was accusing me of. I filed numerous libel and cyber libel cases against Tulfo because of this same defamatory accusations,” Aguirre countered.
The former Justice Secretary will be invited anew in the next Senate hearing on the “pastillas” operations. – Report from Eunice Samonte
