Castro files raps vs. 2 Bureau of Immigration officials

CEBU, Philippines – Charges of libel and two counts of falsification have been filed against Bureau of Immigration Acting Regional Director Casimiro Madarang and Immigration Supervisor Fernando San Ramon by Cebu City Assistant Prosecutor Mary Ann Castro before the Regional Trial Court yesterday.

Castro filed the said charges before the RTC City Prosecutors Office in anticipation of the charges that will be filed also against her by the Acting Regional Director.

The charges of extortion, harassment and grave threats against Castro that were supposed to be filed yesterday afternoon will be filed today before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas.

Castro in her affidavit on the libel charges that she filed against Madarang and San Ramon said that the two have uttered libelous statements that were aired and broadcast in television and radio and printed in newspapers.

Castro specified that San Ramon uttered defamatory statements like she threatened to file a case against him for not acting on the request for a monthly allowance of P20,000 from the amount paid by airline companies to immigration officers, which she vehemently denied.

She said that she never asked for a monthly allowance from the latter or from anybody in the bureau from its collections.

In the case of Madarang, Castro said that the latter has uttered defamatory and libelous statements when he said before the media that Castro should pack up and leave the office and that she is not welcomed at the Bureau.

Castro said that Madarang also uttered “she is the number one problem in the bureau, the only problem in our office.”

Castro, in her affidavit, said that Madarang even stated that he will write President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to expose the real Castro, which she said have destroyed her character, damaged her reputation and honor and has caused public ridicule, contempt and humiliation upon her and her family.

The charges of two counts of falsification was also filed against Madarang for allegedly stating false statements ion his personal data sheet regarding his educational attainment, Civil Service Professional Eligibility and Masteral Degree.

Madarang allegedly said in his personal data sheet that he graduated in Medina Foundation College in Ozamis City on March 1993 when in fact he allegedly graduated in Medina College in Sapang Dalaga Misamis Occidental from the course of AB Economics.

Madarang also allegedly has questionable documents which Castro said in her affidavit that Madarang became Civil Service Commission Professional Examination passer in May 9, 1976.

“Mr. Madarang graduated in 1993 clearly then he cannot be considered a professional in 1976 when he graduated only later in 1993,” Castro said.

Castro is currently assigned at the BI as acting chief of the Board of Special Inquiry apart from her duties as a city fiscal.

The female prosecutor earned the ire of immigration officials and staff for her alleged “illegal activities” at the bureau, which according to Madarang destroyed the image of the bureau. — Jasmin R. Uy/NLQ (THE FREEMAN)