Immigration lawyer faces graft charges

CEBU, Philippines - A Japanese citizen and his Filipina wife filed a criminal complaint for graft and corruption and grave misconduct against an immigration lawyer for allegedly extorting money from him when he applied for a probationary visa in two years ago.

Hiroto Kijima and wife Roselyn of Tagbilaran City, Bohol, filed the complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman Visayas against immigration legal officer Serafin Abellon.

The couple said they went to the immigration office in Mandaue City on May 28, 2007 to apply for the probationary visa of Hiroto. They submitted the requirements to Abellon, who required them a certified marriage contract from the National Statistics Office.

The Kijimas said since they did not have one Abellon offered to get it for them and demanded P30,000 as payment. They paid the amount in three installments.

According to the couple, they first gave P10,000 to Abellon during their first meeting at the latter’s office. Several weeks after they made the first installment, Abellon allegedly called them up to ask for another P10,000. On August 31, 2007, they were called by Abellon to ask for the P10,000 balance because the I-card of Hiroto was already approved.

Abellon told them that he will be the one to get the card. Sometime in September 2008, Abellon again called them to inform that Hiroto’s probationary visa has already expired.

They were asked to reapply and demanded another P30,000 like what they have previously paid without any official receipts. The couple found out that the I-card of Hiroto was released on March 2008 yet but was not given to them.

The couple decided that instead of giving another P30,000 to Abellon, they filed a complaint against him before the anti-graft office. The couple attached in their complaint two another similar complaints filed against Abellon by other people who allegedly fell victim to his reported illegal activities. — Fred P. Languido/BRP   (THE FREEMAN)