At least 50 former Immigration officials and employees on Friday pleaded not guilty to graft charges filed against them in connection with the “Pastillas” scam, which allowed the illegal entry of Chinese citizens into the country in exchange for cash concealed in rolled paper wrapper.
The not guilty plea was entered into the court records after the Sandiganbayan granted the state prosecutors’ motion to amend the criminal information removing Immigration Officer III Jeffrey Ignacio as one of the accused.
Ignacio was a self-confessed member of the “Pastillas” group who eventually became a whistleblower. During the hearing, it was also revealed that Ignacio signed an immunity deal with the Office of the Ombudsman, and that he will not serve as a witness for the prosecution.
“With the amended information, the court gives the prosecution and the defense to file their pre-trial brief within 10 days, if they so wish,” Sandiganbayan Seventh Division chairperson and Associate Justice Zaldy Trespeses said.
“If you wish to adopt the previous pre-trial brief, then manifest it to the court so we can note it,” he added.
Pre-trial brief refers to documentary evidence that the parties will present come the trial proper.
Of the 50, 35 entered a not guilty plea while 15 others, including former Immigration deputy commissioner Marc Mariñas, entered no plea, prompting the anti-graft court to enter a not guilty plea for them.
Joel Ferrer, lawyer for Mariñas, said his client entered no…
