‘His act of identifying himself as the source of these allegations is one brave act, and provides a stark contrast [to] the black propaganda initiated by anonymous parties using the discredited method of issuing ‘white papers’ and hiding behind the mask of ‘concerned employees.’
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Bureau of Immigration (BI) commissioner Atty. Joel Viado announced Wednesday he would not directly address allegations of misconduct within the agency, choosing instead to fully support a Senate investigation into the matter.
“I will not dignify the accusations by answering them point by point,” Viado said in a statement. “I prefer instead to leave the matter in the hands of the Honorable Senator Sherwin Gatchalian to investigate all issues raised against the members of BI.”
Viado disclosed that he has instructed BI staff to cooperate fully with the probe and are preparing documents for the Senate, which include records related to Chinese national Tony Yang, a high-profile detainee linked to Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs), and reports concerning alleged bypassing of immigration procedures to facilitate the extraction of foreign nationals from detention.
These documents will also be forwarded to the Department of Justice (DoJ).
The Senate inquiry follows Senator Sherwin Gatchalian’s filing of Senate Resolution 1381, which seeks to examine alleged irregularities in the BI’s deportation processes for foreign nationals involved in POGOs.
Earlier this month, anonymous BI employees issued a “white paper” accusing Viado of corruption and while the Immigration chief did not name the official behind the allegations, the paper has been attributed to BI executive chairman Gilberto Repizo.
“His act of identifying himself as the source of these allegations is one brave act, and provides a stark contrast [to] the black propaganda initiated by anonymous parties using the discredited method of issuing ‘white papers’ and hiding behind the mask of ‘concerned employees,’” Viado said.
He also wished the official “good luck” but emphasized that the official can be held accountable under the law if he fails to “substantiate his claims.”
“The said official is a member of the bar and I am sure he understands fully the legal implications of his actions and their possible legal consequences,” the BI chief said.
Viado also reported that since announcing full support for the investigation, the BI has received a steady stream of reports and documents, many from partner agencies, pointing to the involvement of various individuals in the extraction of “questionable aliens.”
