Immigration Commissioner Siegfred Mison denied yesterday the existence of a multi-million-peso racket that facilitates the entry and departure of undesirable aliens from the country as he blasted the so-called “bad guys” or “bad eggs” in the bureau for orchestrating the smear campaign against him.
The smear drive, Mison said, is a smokescreen of some BI intelligence operatives who are under investigation for alleged extortion activities.
Interviewed by the Manila Bulletin, Mison said the demolition job against him was orchestrated by the “bad guys” or “bad eggs” in the agency that should be purged from the rank and file.
Mison said that among his accusers were BI officials involved in extortion racket and who are now the subjects of administrative cases for grave misconduct.
He added that he is not aware of the complaint filed against him before the Office of the Ombudsman, adding that he will answer the charges once he is asked to do so by the anti-graft body.
On allegations that he allowed a certain Yuan Jian Hua, alias Wilson Ong Cheng, a previously deported Chinese national, to return, the BI chief explained that the alien had earlier complained against extortion activities by intelligence agents working in the bureau.
“Due to Cheng’s testimony, a cabal of immigration officers involved in the extortion racket was uncovered,” said lawyer Elaine Tan, BI spokesperson.
Tan disclosed that Mison already submitted his confidential report on the agents’ extortion activities to Justice Secretary Leila de Lima late last year.
Manila Bulletin
