Official disputes Duterte’s claim on firing 43 corrupt staff

MANILA: A senior cabinet official disputed the claim of President Rodrigo Duterte that he dismissed at least 43 Bureau of Immigration (BI) officials linked to the alleged large-scale extortion of illegal Chinese nationals as part of his commitment to rid the bureaucracy of rampant graft and corruption.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra clarified that the 43 immigration agents have returned to work after serving out their six-month suspension without pay for allegedly pocketing at least $1 billion in “grease money” to facilitate the entry into the country of illegal Chinese nationals arriving at the airport.

Guevarra also pointed out that the despite their return to work, the 43 employees continued to face criminal and administrative charges filed against them before the office of the Ombudsman. “These BI personnel,” he said, “have returned to the main office but most of them have not been given assignments while their cases remain pending.”

“No, they were not fired or dismissed precisely because the investigation of their cases is still going on,” Guevarra said, adding his office was looking into the administrative charges filed against them in line with the Civil Service Law.

Guevarra was reacting to Duterte’s claim during his last annual state-of-the-nation address (Sona) before the joint session of Congress on July 26 that he already dismissed the 43 employees as part of his commitment to cleanse the bureaucracy of rampant graft and corruption.

Duterte is to end his fixed six-year term as the president in June 2022 amid criticisms from lawmakers and concerned sectors that he failed to fulfill his election campaign commitment that in his first six months in office, he would make it his priority to declare war on illegal drugs, rampant criminality and “endemic” corruption in the bureaucracy.

A Senate investigation uncovered the scandal involving BI officias and employees who allegedly escorted Chinese nationals arriving at the airport to facilitate their illegal entry into the country.