A GRAFT-free coalition on Friday criticized Bureau of Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente for allegedly ordering to relax the campaign against illegal aliens in the country following the alleged P50-million bribery scandal involving Chinese businessman Jack Lam.
DU30 4 Graft-Free Philippines Coalition spokesperson Ramon de Leon said Morente’s alleged directive was tantamount to “cowardice.”
“Morente is apprehensive because the bureau is now under investigation by the Senate. Morente is afraid because he might be included in the investigation,” De Leon said.
Last year, the group, with seven mass-based organizations that supported the candidacy of Duterte, drew the attention of the public after it staged protest actions against Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon over the issue of continuing graft and corruption in his agency.
“Just like in the BOC, it appears that there was no reform implemented under the leadership of Morente. We fear the situation against illegal aliens may become worse,” de Leon said.
De Leon said they were also calling on the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee under Sen. Richard Gordon to probe deeper the BI bribery scandal to unmask the so-called ‘ninongs’ and ‘padrinos’ of the human smuggling syndicates involving some BI personnel.
The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee is conducting a probe on the bribery controversy where two former assistant commissioners of the BI, lawyers Mike Robles and Al Argosino, allegedly received P50 million from Lam last Nov. 27, 2016, thru a conduit, retired police colonel, Wally Sombero.