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BY ADRIAN STEWART CO
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Saturday, October 28, 2017
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MANILA – The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the filing of plunder charges against two former Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioners in the alleged extortion of Chinese online gambling operator Jack Lam.
BI commissioners Al Argosino and Michael Robles were charged for allegedly demanding P50 million for the release of 1,316 arrested Chinese nationals working for Lam but caught violating Philippine immigration laws.
Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales also ordered the indictment of Wenceslao “Wally” Sombero Jr., president of Asian Gaming Service Providers Association, Inc. (AGSPA), for allegedly conniving with Argosino and Robles.
The three were also charged with direct bribery, violation of Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (Republic Act 3019) and violation of Presidential Decree (PD) 46.
PD 45 makes it punishable for public officials and employees to receive, and for private persons to give, gifts on any occasion, including Christmas.
“Argosino and Robles used their official functions as deputy commissioners of the BI in the commission of the said crimes while Sombero acted as a conspirator and middle man,” said Carpio-Morales.
BI Intelligence Chief Charles Calima Jr., on the other hand, was charged with direct bribery and violation of Section 3(e) of RA 3019, while Lam charged with one count of violation of PD 46 for giving P50 million to the BI officials.
The Ombudsman gave no credence to Argosino and Robles’ claim that they merely took custody of the money for safekeeping and as evidence in an ongoing investigation on illegal online gambling.
“Failure to immediately report to the proper investigating authority, or at the very least, their superiors, (Justice) secretary (Vitaliano) Aguirre and Commissioner (Jaime) Morente, that they had custody of the P50 million contradicts their professed intentions,” said Morales./PN
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