Marcos looking into BI corruption allegations
''Well, of course, we're looking at it. But, you know, mahirap mapag-aralan nang mabuti kung white paper na hindi napirmahan at saka walang specifics. But nonetheless, everything like this, we look into it, and we will continue to do that,'' Marcos told reporters in an ambush interview.
(But it's difficult to study a white paper carefully if it's not signed and doesn't have specifics.)
Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado already denied corruption allegations in the bureau, including the supposed mishandling of cases related to the illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) in the country.
In a press statement, Viado dismissed as 'patently false' the accusations purportedly contained in a letter sent by BI employees to the President last week, wherein they supposedly accused the BI chief of corruption.
The BI employees — who wished to remain anonymous due to concerns of retaliation from Viado —mentioned in the letter the alleged corrupt practices under the present BI leadership including the supposed mishandling of POGO-related cases and their deportation.
Viado has dismissed the letter as part of a 'smear campaign.'
He also accused a senior BI official of fueling the propaganda after the BI chief supposedly rejected his request to release a Chinese national linked to a powerful political figure from the previous administration. —VAL, GMA Integrated News
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
GMA Network
2 days ago
- GMA Network
Marcos: No shift in PH stance on asserting sovereignty in WPS
There is no shift in the Philippines' stance as regards asserting the country's sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea, President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. said Friday. In an interview with GMA Integrated News, Marcos was asked if there was a shift in the administration's tone as he mentioned during his last State of the Nation Address (SONA 2025) that ''The Philippines is a friend to all. The Philippines is an enemy to none.' Previously, Marcos emphasized that the government would never give up a single inch of its territory to foreign aggressors. ''There is no shift in tone. My first interview na tinanong ako anong foreign policy natin lalo na sa China, and that was my answer. Hindi naman nagbabago because continuing to defend strongly our territory is not mutually exclusive from being a friend to all and an enemy of none,'' Marcos said. (There is no shift in tone. During my first interview that I was asked about our foreign policy, especially as regards to China, that was my answer. It did not change because continuing to defend strongly our territory is not mutually exclusive from being a friend to all and an enemy of none.) ''Wala naman talaga tayong kinakalaban eh. Lahat naman kinakaibigan natin pero ipagtatanggol natin ang soberanya ng Pilipinas, ipagtatanggol natin ang teritoryo ng Pilipinas. You can do both, you don't have to choose one or the other,'' he added. (We are not fighting with anyone. We treat everyone as our friend but we will assert the Philippines' sovereignty. We will fight for our territory. You can do both, you don't have to choose one or the other.) In his SONA, Marcos said defending the Philippines' rights would be heightened. However, the Philippine government would remain ''patient'' in protecting the country's rights. Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin already clarified that the government's stance on issues in the West Philippine Sea remains constant as Marcos will still not welcome China's aggression in the region. Meanwhile, Marcos said the Philippines would try to take more concrete steps in pushing for the conclusion of the Code of Conduct on the South China Sea as Manila will host the ASEAN Summit and Related Summits next year. Hostilities in the region will be avoided once the Code of Conduct is adopted, Marcos said. ''So that's why it is very, very important. And it's very important to the Philippines because ang pinakamainit na lugar sa West Philippine Sea ay dito sa banda sa atin. Kaya mahalaga sa atin na magkaroon tayo ng Code of Conduct,'' Marcos said. (It's very important to the Philippines because the hottest topic is near us so it's important to have a Code of Conduct.) Keeping lines of communication open Asked about the continued atrocities of China in the region despite diplomatic protests lodged by the Philippine government, Marcos said ''we can only control what we do.'' ''We cannot control what other countries do. But we keep our lines of communication. Once the lines of communication are closed, then there's no room for improvement. That's why we keep the lines of communication open,'' Marcos said. ''We have to keep on trying. We have to keep those lines of communication open,'' he added. Tensions continue as Beijing claims almost all of the South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion of annual shipborne commerce, including parts claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei. In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines over China's claims in the South China Sea, saying that it had "no legal basis." However, China has refused to recognize the ruling. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
2 days ago
- GMA Network
Marcos: Education is the gauge of my admin's success
If there's one project that President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. wants to finish before his term ends in 2028, it will be his programs for education. In an interview with GMA Integrated News, Marcos said he is aiming that each Filipino family would have a college graduate. He stressed that the education would be the ''gauge of success of this administration.'' ''Education, 'yung aking sinabi sa SONA na ang bawat pamilyang Pilipino mayroong college graduate o mayroong nag-graduate sa TESDA, bawat pamilyang Pilipino, 'yun para sa akin. Pag nagawa natin ito, successful 'yun,'' Marcos said. (Education, just like what I said during the SONA, each family will have a college or TESD graduate.) The President is confident that this would be doable. He also believed that the country's greatest resource is its citizens. Marcos also said foreigners have a high regard for Filipinos. ''Our greatest resource is our people. Our greatest resource is the human capital of the Philippines. You don't have to look at figures, just talk to foreigners where the Philippines are in their country and what they think of Filipinos and how highly they think of Filipinos,'' Marcos said. ''That's all you need to hear and what are we doing? We should not waste that. We should not waste that,'' he added. In his last SONA, Marcos vowed aggressive actions to address the learning crisis confronting the Philippine education sector, seeking to create a lasting impact for Filipino students, teachers, and families. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
2 days ago
- GMA Network
Marcos asks China to tell PH about rocket launches
''Sabihan ninyo kami kung saan dadaan. Kapag may babagsak, kukunin namin sa dagat. Tapos ipadala namin sa inyo,'' Marcos told the Philippine media delegation in India. BENGALURU – President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. said Friday that he hopes China would give the Philippines notice when it launches rockets so that concerned authorities may monitor falling debris. Marcos also said China did not commit any violations regarding their rocket launch near Palawan. ''Sabihan ninyo kami kung saan dadaan. Kapag may babagsak, kukunin namin sa dagat. Tapos ipadala namin sa inyo,'' Marcos told the Philippine media delegation in India. President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. said China did not commit any violations regarding their rocket launch near Palawan but wished that they could have warned the Philippines beforehand. In his recent Beijing visit, PBBM told Chinese President Xi Jinping that the… — GMA Integrated News (@gmanews) August 8, 2025 Marcos also recalled that he had told Chinese President Xi Jinping that the Philippines has no interest in their rockets. The Philippines has expressed concern about the launch of China's Long March 12 rocket that was seen over Puerto Princesa City in Palawan last Monday. Puerto Princesa residents reported hearing explosions on Monday just as a fiery object crossed the sky. The ground shook as a result of the blasts. Chinese state media said the Long March-12 rocket, which successfully brought into pre-set orbit a group of internet satellites, launched from a commercial spacecraft site Monday night in China's southern province of Hainan. –NB, GMA Integrated News
