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Opisyales ng BI sa NAIA terminal, sinibak sa puwesto dahil sa ‘pastillas’ scheme
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has relieved its officials at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and its Travel Control and Enforcement Unit pending investigation into the alleged 'pastillas' scheme.
BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval confirmed the relief, citing 'command responsibility' for the unnamed officials.
The scheme allegedly involves a P10,000 fee per person to facilitate the entry of Chinese workers for Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs).
The 'pastillas' scheme, named after the Filipino sweet due to how payouts were packaged, was the subject of a Senate inquiry.
BI Commissioner Jaime Morente ordered the investigation into the bribery scheme at the airport.
While the revelations initially focused on NAIA, the BI is expanding its investigation to include other airports in the country.
Additionally, around 70 BI personnel have been dismissed or suspended due to various corruptions.
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See how different news organizations are covering this story. Below are the original articles from various Philippine news sources that contributed to this summary.
Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente has ordered an investigation into an alleged bribery scheme where Chinese nationals pay P10,000 each for seamless entry into the Philippines, a scheme dubbed "pastillas."
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Malacañang, through Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo, stated that Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Jaime Morente will not escape charges if investigations reveal he committed lapses in stopping the "pastillas" scheme.
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Bureau of Immigration (BI) chief Jaime Morente is subject to an investigation regarding the "pastillas" bribery scheme.
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An Immigration officer identified officials involved in the "pastillas" bribery scheme that facilitated the entry of Chinese high-rollers and POGO workers into the country.
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Nineteen immigration personnel have been relieved from duty amid an investigation into an alleged "pastillas" racket, a scheme involving the escorting of Chinese nationals through immigration processes for a fee.
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