September 9, 2024 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — A dismissed Bureau of Immigration official tagged in the pastillas bribery scheme has been reappointed as acting chief of the BI’s Border Control and Intelligence Unit (BCIU).
The reappointment of Vincent Bryan Allas was thoroughly evaluated after the Court of Appeals (CA) dismissed his case in January, according to Immmigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco.
In 2022, the ombudsman found Allas liable for grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service due to his alleged involvement in the pastillas bribery scheme.
The scheme, referring to a local milk pastry rolled in white paper, was exposed in 2020 after authorities discovered that BI officers were receiving bribes amounting to P10,000 to allow foreigners, mostly Chinese, to enter the country.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros expressed concern over Allas’ reappointment during a Sept. 5 Senate hearing.
Reacting to Hontiveros’ concern, Tansingco said, “While we recognize the gravity of the past incidents, it is equally important to recognize that individuals are entitled to due process, and given that his case was dismissed by the CA, he remains eligible to be given positions in the bureau.”
As for whether Allas aided dismissed Bamban mayor Alice Guo in leaving the country, Tansingco said the BCIU conducts intelligence gathering and is not involved in immigration processing at ports and airports.
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