BID officials, staff want Castro out

CEBU, Philippines - Alleging that prosecutor Mary Ann Castro pushes her weight around at the Bureau of Immigration and Deportation, officials and staff of the bureau yesterday called on the controversial prosecutor to step down as officer-in-charge of BID’s Board of Special Inquiry.

No less than BID regional director Casimiro Madarang III said Castro is reportedly no longer welcome at the bureau.

“She better packs up and leave the office. She is not welcome at the bureau,” Madarang said in a press conference yesterday. Madarang alleged Castro threatens officials and staff of BID to get what she wants.

Madarang said he would write President Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo “to expose the real Castro” and to request that she be removed from BID.

“We will continue working as we continue to air out our grievances against Castro. She is the number one problem in the bureau, the only problem in our office,” Madarang said.

Fernando San Ramon, a junior immigration supervisor assigned at the Mactan Cebu International Airport, also accused Castro of allegedly giving him a warning to give her the P20,000 monthly allowance she allegedly has been asking since last year, something that Castro vehemently denied.

“Unsa iyahang proof nga nangayo ko?” she said, alleging that San Ramon is just trying to cover-up an ongoing investigation against him for alleged use of government properties at the airport on behalf of the Cebu Immigration Officers and Employees Association Inc. with which he is president.

“Why? What have I done? Hello, Madarang? He should be the one to pack up his things. He has no business at the bureau. He better straighten his school records. Magpa-uwan ko ug mga kaso sunod semana. Sila ang dapat mo pack-up,” Castro said. But Madarang was unfazed.

“Hurot na ang among kahadlok. Sukol na lang ang nahabilin. She can file many cases she wants. Kay ngano, siya ra diay ang kamao mo-file og kaso?” he said. — Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon/JMO(THE FREEMAN)