Manila: Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado on Wednesday said he is leaving it to the Senate to investigate the alleged corruption within the bureau. In a statement, Viado said he has instructed BI personnel to "extend their fullest support and cooperation" to the probe being sought by Senator Sherwin Gatchalian. "At present, our staff continue to prepare the documents that will be needed at the prospective hearings at the Senate," Viado said.

According to Philippines News Agency, Gatchalian has filed Senate Resolution 1381 seeking an inquiry into the allegations of corruption and misconduct raised by a group of anonymous BI employees against the bureau's leadership. The allegations were contained in a letter sent to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. earlier this month.

Viado, in a statement, said he would rather not dignify the accusations by answering them point by point. "I prefer instead to leave the matter in the hands of the Honorable Senator Sherwin Gatchalian to investigate all issues raised against the members of BI," he said.

The BI chief said among the documents being prepared by his staff for the investigation are those pertinent to the case of Tony Yang, a high-profile detainee linked to Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) operations in the country, as well as documents regarding the reported extrication of questionable aliens by bypassing immigration process at ports of entry and exit.

Viado said these documents will be forwarded to the Senate and the Department of Justice. "Meanwhile, I am happy to report that since we announced our full support for the investigation called for by Senator Gatchalian, we have received a steady stream of reports and documents pointing to the involvement of personalities in the extrication of questionable aliens. Many of them came from our partner agencies," he said.