NBI to expand ‘pastillas’ scam probe

MANILA, Philippines — Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra yesterday ordered the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to expand its probe of the new “pastillas” scheme involving foreigners paying bribes to enter the country illegally.

Guevarra said he wants the NBI to find out the fixers’ “cohorts among the Bureau of Immigration (BI) personnel so that appropriate administrative and criminal charges may be filed against them.” Both the NBI and BI are under the Department of Justice.

He issued the order after the NBI arrested Vivian Lara, reported to be a law firm employee, after she allegedly received marked money in the office of BI lawyer Arnulfo Maminta. Lara allegedly received P900,000 from three Chinese to help them enter the country.

NBI special task force chief Gerald Geralde earlier said the new scheme involves Chinese citizens giving bribes in advance for the processing of their travel documents.

BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval said they are conducting an investigation to determine those behind a “mutation” of the pastillas scam.

“We will likewise be investigating our personnel as to why (the) alleged incident happened within the bureau’s premises,” Sandoval said when asked to react to the recent entrapment operation of the NBI.