But he said the staggering amount of payola to the BI officials was just “in the realm of mere possibilities” since such illegal acts were usually done without documentary evidence. In the pastillas scheme, immigration officials allowed the smooth entry of Chinese nationals for a P10,000 “service fee” rolled in white wrapper like the milk candy. That’s based on the arrival data of Chinese nationals who are non-VUA. Based on BI figures, some 4 million Chinese nationals have entered the country since 2017. The order allowed Chinese nationals to enter the Philippines without a visa issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer October 21, 2020 21:22 UTC