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MANILA, Philippines – A self-confessed member of the group called “pills” on Tuesday labeled a former head of the Port Operations Division (POD) of the Immigration Bureau (BI) as the alleged “ringleader” of the scam.
During a Senate committee on women hearing on the pill operation, Immigration Officer II Jeffrey Dale Ignacio, who was featured as the second whistleblower, also described the alleged chain of command leading the multi-million dollar scheme.
Under the bribery scam, immigration officers allegedly extort money from Chinese citizens in exchange for smooth entry into the Philippines.
“We will not be able to move … without a blessing from above,” Ignacio, who described himself as one of the “pill foot soldiers,” told the Senate committee.
(We cannot move alone without the blessing of superiors).
Senator Risa Hontiveros, chair of the panel, then asked Ignacio: “Who here is more head or more leader?”
(Who is the boss or the leader?)
Ignacio tagged former POD chief Marc Red Mariñas, who was also tagged earlier in the plan by the first witness, immigration officer Allison Chiong.
“It looks like a pyramid. The one at the top is Sir Marc Red Mariñas ”, added Ignacio.
(It is like a pyramid. At the top is Sir Marc Red Mariñas).
“To emphasize, the ringleader of the ‘pills’ scam is Mr. Mariñas? Hontiveros asked. Ignacio answered affirmatively.
(To emphasize, is the ringleader of the pill scam Mr. Mariñas?)
Mariñas was not present during Tuesday’s hearing, but in a previous investigation last March, she claimed not to know how.
Meanwhile, Ignacio identified Mariñas’ personal assistant, Fidel Mendoza, and the head of the Travel Control and Execution Unit (TCEU), Erwin Ortanez, as the “right hand” men.
Below them are TCEU terminal bosses Glennford Benlado Guevarra and Denden Binsol, according to Ignacio.
“Tapos can substitutes pa po (and then they have their substitutes): Deon Carlo Albao, Arlan Mendoza and Anthony López,” said the witness.
All the names mentioned by Ignacio, however, claimed that they had no personal knowledge of the scam.
“We will make sure that the masterminds behind this deep, deep corruption at the Immigration Office pay for their crime. Magbabayad kayo, ”Hontiveros said at the end of Tuesday’s hearing.
“It is not only the infantrymen who are responsible, but you who govern,” he added. [ac]
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