Immigration Officer, Mr. Abellon, Arrested In Mandaue City

[Mike S]

Now I could be wrong about this but if I remember correctly this same guy used to work in the Mandaue BI office and was accused of this very thing about 5 years ago along with another BI lawyer at the time ..... she was later transferred to the prosecutors office and as far as I know she is still there ...... same deal same scam ...... so he was transferred to the Mactan Cebu International Airport instead of being fired and has apparently continued with his extra curricular activities ...... just goes to show they don't fire anyone in government here they just transfer them ..... hummmmmm ... could it be that they have to much dirt on the people above them ..... nawwwwww ... that couldn't be true .....

 

When we were applying for my 13a Abellon and the woman were suspended pending action and we had an attorney from Manila who was temporarily assigned to Mandaue  ...... he was extremely thorough but very nice ...... he even asked my asawa how she felt about my tattoos ...... she said she didn't mind and after I explained to him that each one had a meaning he seemed satisfied ....

 

 

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/local-news/2013/05/25/bi-officer-nabbed-extortion-284089

 

 

Saturday, May 25, 2013

THE National Bureau of Investigation-Central Visayas (NBI-7) arrested yesterday a legal officer of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) 7 for allegedly extorting P25,000 from an American national in exchange for his visa extension.

 

NBI 7 Director Antonio Pagatpat said a joint team from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Manila and the NBI Central Visayas caught Serafin A. Abellon, BI legal officer, in an entrapment.

 

Abellon was arrested while in the act of accepting the bribe money from the foreigner inside his office in Mandaue City yesterday morning.

“We will file charges of robbery, extortion and violation of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti Graft and Corrupt Practices Act,” Pagatpat told reporters.

The NBI 7 withheld the identity of the American for his security.

 

Abellon was brought to the NBI 7 where he awaited the filing of criminal complaints before the City Prosecutor’s Office in Mandaue City.

Abellon, of St. Louis Village in Barangay Tabuc-Tabuc, Dumaguete City, refused to give a statement to the media after his blood pressure reportedly rose while inside the NBI 7 ofrice.

 

In an interview, Pagatpat said Abellon had demanded P25,000 from the American “in consideration for his visa extension in Cebu.”

The tourist had given Abellon P10,000 as initial payment.

The immigration lawyer was to receive the balance of P15,000 in his Mandaue office.

 

Abellon, who is assigned at the Mactan Cebu International Airport, is set to retire from service in a year or two, NBI 7’s Pagatpat said.

The American, who is married to a Filipina and has been living in Cebu for several years, declined to talk to reporters.

 

 

 

 

"refused to give a statement to the media after his blood pressure reportedly rose while inside the NBI 7 ofrice. " ....... get ready for it folks .... next step ..... be hospitalized under pain of death ..... hummmmmm ...... wonder when in 1st world countries they will learn of this wonderful tactic for getting out of criminal charges or being arrested while you plan your legal defense which is comprised mostly of either bribing witnesses or eliminating them .....   hey it works great here ......  :mocking:  :mocking:  :mocking:         :cheersty: 

Edited May 26, 2013 by Mike S

[Jollygoodfellow]

get ready for it folks .... next step ..... be hospitalized under pain of death .....

 

Bet he's in a wheel chair with a neck brace.

 

I wonder if the American is being charged with bribery? Just shows we need to keep things above board.   :3_12_31[1]:

[Americano]

This is very good news for honest foreigners who must deal with Immigration in Cebu. This man has been corrupt and obtaining money illegally from foreigners for a long time. Several foreigners over the past 3 1/2 years told me they were asked to pay a bribe to Abellon for a visas or for him to write a recommendation for their 13A Visa to be approved. He didn't ask me directly for money because he knew I would report him to higher authorities but he still tried to get money from me by saying it was almost the Holidays so maybe my request wouldn't be approve in time hoping I would pay to expedite my application. And, he kept saying that unless he wrote a favorable recommendation my 13A Visa wouldn't be approved. He was trying to cleverly extort money from me but it didn't work.

My only question is why did it take so long to finally arrest him?  My guess is Abellon tried to extort money from a foreigner who hates corruption as much as I do and was not afraid to do something about it.

Here's the story as it appeared in the Sun Star on Saturday May 25, 2013.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/local-news/2013/05/25/bi-officer-nabbed-extortion-284089

By Gerome M. Dalipe

Saturday, May 25, 2013

THE National Bureau of Investigation-Central Visayas (NBI-7) arrested yesterday a legal officer of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) 7 for allegedly extorting P25,000 from an American national in exchange for his visa extension.

NBI 7 Director Antonio Pagatpat said a joint team from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Manila and the NBI Central Visayas caught Serafin A. Abellon, BI legal officer, in an entrapment.

Abellon was arrested while in the act of accepting the bribe money from the foreigner inside his office in Mandaue City yesterday morning.

“We will file charges of robbery, extortion and violation of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti Graft and Corrupt Practices Act,” Pagatpat told reporters.

The NBI 7 withheld the identity of the American for his security.

Abellon was brought to the NBI 7 where he awaited the filing of criminal complaints before the City Prosecutor’s Office in Mandaue City.

Abellon, of St. Louis Village in Barangay Tabuc-Tabuc, Dumaguete City, refused to give a statement to the media after his blood pressure reportedly rose while inside the NBI 7 ofrice.

In an interview, Pagatpat said Abellon had demanded P25,000 from the American “in consideration for his visa extension in Cebu.”

The tourist had given Abellon P10,000 as initial payment.

The immigration lawyer was to receive the balance of P15,000 in his Mandaue office.

Abellon, who is assigned at the Mactan Cebu International Airport, is set to retire from service in a year or two, NBI 7’s Pagatpat said.

The American, who is married to a Filipina and has been living in Cebu for several years, declined to talk to reporters.

Edited May 28, 2013 by Americano

[Jollygoodfellow]

Merged two of same topics together  :thumbsup:

[samatm]

Which guy was he.. What did he look like?     I got extorted about 5 years ago;  escorted to the 2nd floor to get stamps put in my US passport that were not stamped upon arrival.    I wonder it that was the guy. 

[Americano]

I just asked my wife for a description and she said he is fat with a round face, dark brown skin and he's diabetic. I also remember that he talked with a limp. His office is on the second floor in the back left side. He didn't seem professional to me because he kept falling asleep while conducting an interview with me and my wife.

 

We should have taken a picture of him but hopefully his picture will appear in a Newspaper or on TV news. That just gave me an idea. I suggest that all foreigners who encounter corrupt government officials should start making pictures of them.

Edited May 28, 2013 by Americano

[earthdome]

We should have taken a picture of him but hopefully his picture will appear in a Newspaper or on TV news. That just gave me an idea. I suggest that all foreigners who encounter corrupt government officials should start making pictures of them.

 

I would be very careful about taking pictures of government officials, especially if they are doing something corrupt. I don't know about the Philippines, but in the USA those who take video or pictures of police on duty doing their job often get arrested themselves or even physically abused by the police.

 

See: http://photographyisnotacrime.com/

 

Those in power do not like it when you try to hold them accountable by documenting their misdeeds.

[SubicSteve]

 

We should have taken a picture of him but hopefully his picture will appear in a Newspaper or on TV news. That just gave me an idea. I suggest that all foreigners who encounter corrupt government officials should start making pictures of them.

 

I would be very careful about taking pictures of government officials, especially if they are doing something corrupt. I don't know about the Philippines, but in the USA those who take video or pictures of police on duty doing their job often get arrested themselves or even physically abused by the police.

 

See: http://photographyisnotacrime.com/

 

Those in power do not like it when you try to hold them accountable by documenting their misdeeds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I believe there is now a law against taking someones picture without their permission.  This came about after the scandal with the actress and nude pictures of her being taken.  Even if it weren't illegal, I wouldn't want to upset someones "cash cow."

[Americano]

I believe the law makes it illegal to make nude or indecent pictures without someone's permission. There are cameras making videos of us without our permission so why would just making a picture be illegal?

 

Some government offices have pictures of the employees on the walls so you could take a picture of a picture if you wanted to.

 

Here's an update news story:

 

http://www.philstar.com/nation/2013/05/27/946907/bid-lawyer-mandaue-arrested-extortion

 

BID lawyer in Mandaue arrested for extortion

 (philstar.com) | Updated May 27, 2013 - 11:06am

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MANILA, Philippines - Authorities have arrested lawyer of the Bureau of Immigration and Deportation for reportedly extorting money from a retired US Navy who asked the BID personnel for an extension of his visa, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group said on Monday.

CIDG and National Bureau of Investigation agents apprehended lawyer Serafin Araulla-Abellon, legal officer of the BID, during an entrapment operation last May 24 inside the immigration office in Mandaue City.

 

The operation stemmed from the complaint of Jaimes Samuel Mercier, a retired US Navy, who asked the help of Abellon for the extension of his visa.

 

Mercier claimed that Abellon demanded P25,000 in consideration for the visa extension to stay in the Philippines,  which actually legally cost only P2,800.

 

After giving the BID legal officer P10,000,  Mercier alleged that Abellon demanded an additional  P15,000.

Prior to Abellon's arrest, the CIDG said that in 2009, Abellon was also sued for graft and corruption and grave misconduct for extorting money from a Japanese man in Tagbilaran, City for the same scheme.

Nation ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1

 

The CIDG said it has already filed a case for violation of RA 3019 or Anti Graft and Corrupt Practices Act Abellon at the Office of Ombudsman. - Dennis Carcamo

Edited May 29, 2013 by Americano

[Mike S]

Hummmmm .. I wonder if they have a BI in Sulu .... maybe he will be transferred and made director there ..... :mocking: :mocking:

:cheersty: