鈥淧ASTILLAS鈥� HEARING: Former Immigration Ports Operation Division (POD) chief Marc Red 惭补谤颈帽补蝉, during a hybrid hearing Tuesday, October 20, 2020. The 鈥減astillas鈥� refers to the alleged bribery scheme practiced by immigration officers who allowed Chinese nationals in the country without proper documents or permits for a fee. (Joseph Vidal/Senate PRIB)
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Former Bureau of Immigration (BI) Ports Operation Division (POD) chief Marc Red 惭补谤颈帽补蝉, who was tagged as the alleged 鈥渞ingleader鈥� of the so-called 鈥減astillas鈥� scam, denied having any connection with the Ombudsman as earlier claimed by a whistleblower.
鈥淲ala po akong contact as Ombudsman,鈥� 惭补谤颈帽补蝉 told a Senate hearing into the modus upon the questioning of Senator Risa Hontiveros.
The Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality resumed on Tuesday its investigation into the racket, wherein immigration officers purportedly extort money from Chinese nationals in exchange for their smooth entry into the Philippines.
A self-confessed member of the 鈥減astillas鈥� group said in an earlier hearing that the alleged masterminds behind the scheme, including 惭补谤颈帽补蝉, are supposedly boasting of having a 鈥渃ontact鈥� in the Office of the Ombudsman.
Immigration Jeffrey Dale Ignacio had claimed that during one of the meetings he attended with other BI officials subpoenaed by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), 惭补谤颈帽补蝉 had supposedly told them that 鈥渕ay contact sila sa Ombudsman鈥� (they have a contact with the Office of the Ombudsman).
Hontiveros asked 惭补谤颈帽补蝉 if he went to the Office of Ombudsman after that meeting with the BI personnel.
鈥淣o, I have not been to the office of the Ombudsman,鈥� 惭补谤颈帽补蝉 said in response.
At this point, Hontiveros, who was presiding over the hearing, reminded the former POD chief that he was under oath.
惭补谤颈帽补蝉, who had repeatedly denied having any knowledge of the scheme, insisted on not having been to the Office of the Ombudsman in his 鈥渆ntire life.鈥�
鈥淚 hope, for your sake, walang CCTV video,鈥� the senator told 惭补谤颈帽补蝉.
NBI probing 鈥榝ixer鈥�
Hontiveros then turned to the NBI to ask if it is investigating this alleged 鈥渃ontact鈥� in the Office of the Ombudsman.
鈥淚niimbestigahan niyo na ba yung mga alegasyon na baka daw may fixer sa Ombudsman?鈥� she asked lawyer Emeterio Dongallo Jr., chief of the NBI Special Action Unit investigating the pastillas racket.
Dongallo said the NBI has already requested from the Office of the Ombudsman a copy of CCTV footage as well as the visitor鈥檚 log book.