Hontiveros calls on NBI to charge masterminds of BI 'pastillas' scam

"For the sake of our women and children, the masterminds of this 'pastillas' scam must be put behind bars."

This was the remark made by Senator Risa Hontiveros, as she called on the National Bureau of Investigation to identify and file charges against the 'big fish' behind the 'pastillas' scam of the Bureau of Immigration.

Hontiveros, on Tuesday, led the fifth hearing of the Senate Committee on Women and Children that investigates the link between the 'pastillas' scam and the rise of prostitution in the country.

"Nakita natin sa mga nakaraang hearing na ang 'pastillas' scam ay nagbunga sa prostitusyon at human trafficking hindi lang ng ating mga kababaihan, pati narin ng mga babaeng mula sa ibang bansa," the senator said, adding that trafficked women were found to be servicing Chinese workers of the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators industry.

Hontiveros said that these Chinese workers are often the clientele of the 'pastillas' scam, in which an extra P10,000 service fee per individual is paid to the bureau and travel agencies to allow them seamless entry into the country.

"May nagtatanong, babalikan pa ba natin ang pastillas scam, nasa gitna tayo ng pandemic? Pero hindi ba natin naisip na baka kaya nakapasok ang COVID-19 sa Pilipinas ay dahil na rin sa mga korap na immigration officers?" she added.

This month, the National Bureau of Investigation filed cases against 20 individuals — 19 BI officials and one owner of a travel agency — who are allegedly involved in the modus. However, while Hontiveros welcomes the cases filed by NBI, she asserted that her sources, including whistleblower Allison Chiong, have said that these individuals are not the main architects of the 'pastillas' operation.

"The big fish have not been caught. Hindi pwedeng mga small-time lang ang mga kakasuhan, habang nagpapakasasa ang mga big-time," the senator said.

"May mga nakakabahalang ebidensya na prinesenta sa ating hearing na dumadawit sa mga malalaking pangalan sa pulitika at gobyerno. Dapat masuri ang mga ebidensiyang ito at dapat managot ang lahat na sangkot," Hontiveros said, citing the evidence shown by Ramon Tulfo, which points to former Department of Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II as one of the protectors of Maynardo and Marc Red Mariñas, the alleged masterminds of the corruption in the BI.

"Maraming babae at kabataan na ang nabiktima dahil sa korapsyon at kasakiman sa BI. Pati ang bansa natin ay naging pugad ng krimen dahil sa kanila. We will stop at nothing to identify the big fish, to bring the masterminds to justice," Hontiveros concluded.