The Department of Justice on Monday said efforts to cleanse the ranks of the immigration bureau continue after the dismissal from service of 18 personnel tagged in the "pastillas" scheme that allegedly allowed Chinese citizens into the country in exchange for money.

• 18 immigration personnel in 'pastillas' scheme dismissed from service

DOJ Assistant Secretary Neal Bainto told TeleRadyo that all immigration personnel facing graft charges before the Sandiganbayan were also no longer reporting for work.

• Ombudsman OKs graft charges vs Immigration officials tagged in 'pastillas' scheme

“We can confirm po na wala na po sila ngayon sa Bureau of Immigration, tanggal na po sila,” he said.

(They are no longer with the Bureau of Immigration, they have been dismissed.)

“Tuloy-tuloy naman po ang efforts ng DOJ, ng Bureau of Immigration, meron na rin po tayong, 'yung aksyon po ng Board of Discipline, kaya lahat na po ng nakikitang mga may ganitong ginagawa, we make it a point na 'pag may evidence that backs it up, e talagang maging liable po sila,” Bainto told ABS-CBN's TeleRadyo.

(The efforts of the DOJ and the Bureau of Immigration continue, our Board of Discipline has taken action, so when we see corruption, we make it a point to hold personnel liable if there is evidence.)

“Siguro po dapat mag-isip-isip na 'yung mga gumagawa pa ng ganyan na titigil na nila kung meron pa po,” he added.

(Perhaps if someone is still involved in that, he or she should think about stopping.)

Under the "pastillas" scheme, some Chinese allegedly entered the Philippines as tourists and later worked for Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations hubs, paying immigration personnel around P10,000.

The grease money was supposedly rolled in bond paper, like the "pastillas" delicacy.

— TeleRadyo, 13 June 2022