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The Pastillas Scandal and the sneaky ways to corruption
By Cristina DC Pastor There’s something sweet and savory about corruption in the Philippines. Some Bureau of Immigration (BI) officials and personnel are said to be receiving P10,000 per from Chinese nationals entering the Philippines to illegally work in gaming casinos. The cash is bundled up and hidden in Pastillas wrappers, according to reports. I […]
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Quiboloy church officials indicted for trafficking, sham marriages
SANTA ANA, Calif. – A federal grand jury has charged three top administrators of a Philippines-based church with overseeing a labor trafficking scheme that forced church members to solicit donations for a bogus charity after the defendants illegally obtained visas and other immigration documents that allowed the workers to enter and remain in the United […]
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Who is Vilma Bautista and what exactly did she do?
By Cristina DC Pastor Her name is spoken of as if in a confidential whisper by some FilAms who know her — Filipinos with means, leaders of the community. There is nothing nouveau riche about knowing Vilma Hernandez Bautista. “Yeah, kilala ko siya,” shared a Manhattan woman who said their friendship goes way back […]
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N.J. judge accused of ‘harboring fugitive boyfriend’ fighting to keep her job
By Cristina DC Pastor This is the convoluted story of a Filipina judge in New Jersey accused in 2013 of “harboring” a fugitive boyfriend, cleared in 2018 of all charges, and is now fighting to keep her position as a member of the bench. Superior Judge Carlia Brady, 47, was suspended without pay, lost her […]
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No freedom for the Monster of Calauan
By Cristina DC Pastor College sweethearts Eileen Sarmenta and Allan Gomez were about to head home that ill-fated night of June 28, 1993. The U.P. Los Baños (UPLB) students – seated in front beside the driver — were waiting for the Toyota Tamaraw to fill up with passengers when a group of armed men swooped […]
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20 years for Trump fanatic Cesar Sayoc: ‘Beyond very sorry’
Cesar Sayoc, who mailed homemade bombs to prominent individuals, including Democratic politicians, was sentenced to 20 years in prison, according to reports. Sayoc’s father, Cesar Sayoc Sr., is a Filipino immigrant. His mother is an American woman from Brooklyn. Dubbed the “MAGA (Make America Great Again) bomber,” he is a fanatic follower of Donald Trump […]
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Ex-husband from Jersey City charged with attempted arson
Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of Wildemar Dangcil, 37, of 103 Gifford Avenue, Jersey City, for allegedly pouring gasoline around his ex-wife’s car and home. Dangcil, a laborer, was apprehended following an investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Chief Robert Anzilotti, and the Hackensack Police Department under the […]
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At least 2 years for Violeta McGough for alleged embezzlement
A former accounting specialist in the Ridgefield Park, New Jersey, office of an insurance broker was sentenced to 27 months in prison for defrauding her employer of approximately $900,000, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced on May 20. Violeta McGough, 57, of Bergenfield, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo to […]
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Drug syndicate allegedly shipped meth internationally including the PHL
Three Los Angeles people accused of being part of an international drug trafficking ring are in custody on federal charges alleging they used the Darknet to obtain drugs and offer narcotics for sale, and then shipped pound quantities of methamphetamine to buyers in the Philippines, New Zealand, Poland and other foreign destinations. The case is […]