BI brass, Castro to swap charges

CEBU, Philippines - Charges are expected to be swapped by officials of the Bureau of Immigration here and controversial Cebu City Asst. Prosecutor Mary Ann Castro.

Charges of extortion, harassment and grave threats are expected to be filed today against Castro by the dismayed immigration officials of the Bureau of Immigration-Cebu District Office.

BI acting regional director Casimiro Madarang III told The FREEMAN that they will expose the “kind of woman” Castro is as he already wrote a letter to President Gloria Arroyo, BI Commisioner Marcelino Libanan and Justice secretary Raul Gonzales.

“The Bureau of Immigration is united against her. Enough is enough,” Madarang said.

Castro is currently assigned at the BI as acting chief of the Board of Special Inquiry apart from her duties as a city fiscal.

The female prosecutor earned the ire of immigration officials and staff for her alleged “illegal activities” at the bureau, which according to Madarang destroyed the image of the bureau.

Castro on the other hand will likewise file a case of two counts of abuse of authority and libel against Madarang.

She also said that she will file a case against Fernando San Ramon, the immigration supervisor assigned at the Mactan Cebu International Airport for estafa, graft and corruption and libel.

“I am really hurt of what they have done. It’s a treacherous attack. This ain’t a way to treat a lady,” said Castro in separate interview with The FREEMAN.

It can be recalled that Madarang, San Ramon, some immigration officials and staff strongly denounced Castro in a press conference last Friday and they want the prosecutor out of the bureau.

San Ramon had accused Castro of demanding a P20,000 monthly allowance from him out of the personnel services rendered to airline companies.

Such allegations however were strongly denied by Castro and she hit back at San Ramon for allegedly using government properties at the airport for private use on behalf of the Cebu Immigration Officers and Employees Association Inc., a private entity where the latter is also the president.

“As expected mukiha man gyud na siya kay mao na pirmi ang iyang panghadlok sa mga immigration officials ug staff. Pero sugaton ko na iyang mga kaso. It’s is better for her to get out of the bureau. She does not belong in the bureau,” the angry Madarang said. —/NLQ (THE FREEMAN)