CA upholds ruling over pastillas scam

MANILA, Philippines — The Court of Appeals has upheld the 2025 CA ruling that dismissed the forfeiture case filed by the government against a former official of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and three others over their alleged involvement in the pastillas scam.

In the ruling, the appellate court’s “Former Eighth Division” denied the motion for reconsideration the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) filed to reverse the dismissal of the charge against former NBI legal assistance section chief Joshua Paul Capiral, his brother and former immigration officer Christopher John Capiral, Rosalina Ang Chua and Ma. Luisa Rosario Chua.

“Upon careful deliberation, we find no compelling reason to deviate from our findings, conclusion and ruling. The arguments presented in the motion were already considered, discussed and passed upon in the assailed decision. No new matters were raised by the petitioner-appellee that would warrant modifying, much less reversing, our earlier findings. Accordingly, the motion for reconsideration is denied,” reads a part of the two-page resolution penned by Associate Justice Eleuterio Bathan.

Associate Justices Nina Antonio-Valenzuela and Florencio Mamauag Jr. concurred with the ruling promulgated on July 16.

The CA dismissed on April 15, 2025 the forfeiture case against the four, saying the Muntinlupa City Regional Trial Court erred in siding with the AMLC which “failed to present sufficient evidence to support its claim that the Capirals were engaged in money laundering.”

The AMLC previously discovered deposits and withdrawals from the bank accounts of Capiral brothers amounting to P5 million from 2016 to 2021, which prompted the Muntinlupa court to seize the P138,000 left in the bank.

According to the CA, while the deposits in the questioned bank accounts were disproportionate to the earnings of the Capiral brothers, there was lack of proof that the funds could be linked to unlawful activity.

The pastillas scheme was reportedly created to allow Chinese people, mostly involved in Philippine offshore gaming operator firms, into the country without the required entry documents.

The Capirals and their two co-accused were arrested after accepting P200,000 from an immigration officer.

They allegedly extorted from immigration personnel – with the grease money rolled up on bond paper resembling the local delicacy pastillas – for their names to be cleared from any charge.