MANILA, Philippines — Corrupt immigration officers have pocketed some P40 billion in bribe money since 2017 by facilitating the entry of Chinese nationals or assisting the departure of trafficked people at the airport, Sen. Risa Hontiveros said in a Senate hearing on Tuesday.

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has barred more than 9,000 foreigners from entering the country in 2016 as part of the agency’s efforts to bolster the country’s border security.