Malacañang drops rap vs Rodriguez

Malacañang has dismissed for lack of merit a complaint filed by a Japanese businessman against Immigration Commissioner Rufus Rodriguez and two other Bureau of Immigration officials accusing them of accepting bribes to facilitate the deportation of certain Japanese nationals.

In an order signed by Executive Secretary Ronaldo Zamora, the Office of the President dismissed the complaint against Rodriguez, former Associate Commissioner and immigration prosecutor Ramoncito Tolentino upon recommendation of the President Commission Against Graft and Corruption (PCAGC).

Although the PCAGC had already dismissed the case last Dec. 29, it commented that the proper remedy was not to archive the case but to dismiss it outright for want of evidence, hence, Zamora’s order affirming the commission’s decision.

The PCAGC also ruled that "the evidence presented to support the case are all hearsay and without probative value."

The case stemmed from a complaint filed by Japanese businessman Kazumichi Ichikawa and Toshio Shimada and their Filipino business partners Arnold Maiones and Veronica Ramos.

In their complaint, the four alleged that a certain Wataru Chino, a Japanese, gave P10.5 million to Tolentino in exchange for initiating deportation proceedings against Ichikawa and Shimada.

The complaint further alleged that the money was to be shared by Tolentino with the two immigration commissioners to railroad the deportation of the two Japanese, who were Chino’s business rivals.

However, Rodriguez, Yap and Tolentino all denied the allegation, saying the complaint was merely intended to harass the officials into withdrawing the deportation charges that were filed against Ichikawa and Shimada before the bureau’s board of commissioners.

Tolentino, who investigated the case of the two Japanese, said the deportation charges were based on the findings that both Ichikawa and Shimada were working in the Philippines without proper visa.

He said the filing of the deportation charges was the result of an honest and professional appreciation of evidence and not because he accepted bribes from certain persons.

Tolentino added that the allegations of bribery were made to deter him from prosecuting Ichikawa and Shimada for violating the country’s immigration laws.