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Tuesday, July 04, 2006
DOJ clips Castro’s role in BI
Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez has allowed Cebu City Assistant Prosecutor Mary Ann Castro and Assistant Regional State Prosecutor Vicente Mañalac to continue being detailed at the Bureau of Immigration (BI) 7 despite the controversy Castro has created in that office.
Gonzalez, however, prohibited Castro and Mañalac from engaging or joining in any operation of the bureau in the enforcement of immigration laws, unless otherwise directed by Director Geronimo Rosas.
Revoked
Gonzalez revoked his first order on Castro’s reassignment to BI 7 last February and issued Department Order 469, after receiving reports that Castro intervened in the investigation of foreigners who violated immigration laws and hired a private secretary without the authority of the bureau.
Normi D. Mante, who was allegedly hired by Castro, even filed char-ges for conduct unbecoming of a public official against Rosas before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas.
The charges were filed after Rosas confronted Mante about her holding office inside BI 7 without an appointment approved by the Civil Service Commission and processing immigration documents without authority.
A lawyer who requested anonymity said that Mante’s continued presence at BI 7 puts the bureau’s operation at risk considering that she has access to public documents.
Between February and June this year and despite the fact that Castro is only assigned to BI 7 to assist in the disposal of administrative cases, Castro, through Mante, allegedly received applications for alien control registration (ACR) and conducted hearings. By doing this, she bypasses legal officers Serafin Abellon and Leobarlo Enad.
Castro could not be reached for comment yesterday.
Mante, in her sworn statement filed with the anti-graft office in connection with the case she filed against Rosas, admitted that she held office at BI 7 because she worked for Castro.
Under the BI policy, the folder of an ACR approved by its central office in Manila shall be given to the applicant for him to personally process it. But Mante was the one who processed the ACR and collected payments from applicants.
In his new order, Gonzalez made it clear that Castro and Mañalac are detailed on part-time basis with BI 7 in Mandaue City “to assist the bureau in the investigation of administrative cases.”
Gonzalez said Castro and Mañalac are there only to assist Rosas and the BI 7 legal department; they can handle administrative cases assigned to them.
At the same time, Gonzalez revoked his Department Order 107 dated last Feb. 15, reassigning Castro to BI 7.
Castro, who made news for cases filed against her and by her at the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas and the courts, served as Talisay City prosecutor before getting the BI 7 assignment. She was later returned to the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office. (EOB)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (July 4, 2006 issue)
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