The Philippine Bureau of Immigration recently erupted in a major corruption scandal, causing public uproar. The chairman of the special investigation committee, Repiso, publicly accused the current director, Viado, of accepting bribes up to 30 million pesos, privately approving the release of three Chinese executives involved in illegal POGO (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators) operations. More shockingly, the incident is suspected to be linked to the president's wife, Liza Araneta-Marcos.
According to Repiso's disclosure in a four-page open letter, the three Chinese executives submitted their bail applications on May 8 this year and were approved in an extremely short time, with abnormal procedures. He questioned whether the immigration bureau still harbors the unspoken rule of "case suspension fees" and criticized that some deportation cases, such as former town mayor Guo Huaping, have been indefinitely stalled with no progress.
Repiso also pointed out that a "crony culture" has long been established within the immigration bureau, with power centralized under the director, rarely holding management meetings, lacking transparency. He stated that all complaint cases are handled by a "kangaroo-style investigation committee," whose members are personally selected by the director, casting doubt on their impartiality.
More politically sensitive, Repiso revealed that someone had spread false rumors about him in front of the president's wife, Liza, possibly intending to manipulate his reassignment, potentially hiding more complex political struggles or exchanges of interests.
Facing these explosive allegations, the immigration bureau and the director himself have yet to respond, leading to speculation from the outside world. President Marcos Jr. has ordered a thorough investigation, and the Senate has also announced it will intervene in the investigation, striving to restore the truth.
This turmoil not only involves illegal gambling and corruption but also touches the president's family, causing a stir in Philippine politics. The public heatedly discusses that this real-life "Game of Thrones" may have just begun.
