3 DOJ employees terminated over involvement in visa anomaly

DAVAO CITY, Philippines —- Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre fired three of his men for their involvement in the anomalous processing of visa at the Bureau of Immigration and Deportation (BID).

The BID is an agency of the DOJ.

Aguirre identified the erring employees as  Cyrus Morata; Abvic Ryan Maghirang and, Shigred Erigbuagas.

According to Aguirre, the employees have already confessed to their participation in the anomaly and will be slapped with charges.

In a statement, Aguirre said “Upon being informed of the discovery of these anomalies, I immediately tasked the NBI [National Bureau of Investigation] to investigate and to eventually file the necessary charges against them. I expect an in-depth and thorough investigation,

Aguirre added  “I ordered the termination of several DOJ employees who have confessed to being involved in anomalies involving the purported processing of visas at the Bureau of Immigration.”

Aguirre ordered,   “The NBI is directed and granted authority to conviction investigation and case build-up over the alleged graft and corrupt activities.”

But  Aguirre failed to mention how the anomaly was undertaken.

Aguirre said these individuals would also be the subject of an immigration lookout bulletin order he is set to issue immediately, and has also ordered the National Bureau of Investigation to conduct probe and file charges.

“Upon being informed of the discovery of these anomalies, I immediately tasked the NBI to investigate and to eventually file the necessary charges against them. I expect an in-depth and thorough investigation,” the DOJ Chief said.

“Corruption will have no home or sanctuary in the DOJ while I am serving our people there. It will not be tolerated and it will be severely dealt with. Since day one of my stewardship of the DOJ, we have actively and fully supported President Duterte’s pronounced campaign against corruption,” he stressed.

“If you are corrupt, get out. This is not the place for you and we will not tolerate any act of corruption especially in our own backyard,” Aguirre added..

This is not the first time that Aguirre’s men are involve in an anomaly.

On November 26, 2017, three DOJ officials, were involved in a P50-million bribe, they were Aguirre’s fraternal brothers.

It can be recalled that Former Bureau of Immigration (BI) Associate Commissioner Al Argosino and and former BI Associate Commissioner Michael Robles received the money from retired Police Senior Superintendent Wally Sombero Jr., representative of gambling tycoon Jack Lam, after their meeting last November 26.

During the the Senate inquiry, it was established that even before the meeting, Argosino joined Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II, who also met with Lam, two interpreters and Sombero, at the Shangri-La at the the Fort at 5:00 p.m., also on the same day.

With the anomalies inside the portals of the DOJ, citizens wonder the screening process which  Aguirre’s  used in hiring his people.-Editha Z. Caduaya/Newsline.ph