Malacañang welcomed on Monday, June 13, the decision of the Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) to dismiss immigration employees involved in the “pastillas scam” or a bribery scheme illegally expediting the entry of foreign nationals.
“The recent decision of the Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) dismissing immigration employees in connection with the ‘pastillas scam’ underscore that there are no sacred cows in the Duterte Administration,” Acting Presidential Spokesperson Secretary Martin Andanar said.
“We welcome this decision as it shows the current government’s zero tolerance policy against corruption in the bureaucracy,” he added.
However, the communications chief said corruption in the country “remains a challenge” and is being addressed through “pushing for automation of government systems to avoid face-to-face contact” to remove “redundant processes.” KC–ag