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[av_heading heading=’CALIMA CLEARED Ombudsman dismisses all charges vs ex-Immigration intel officer’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
BY MAE SINGUAY
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January 30, 2018
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BACOLOD City – Retired police general Charles Calima Jr. was grateful that the Office of the Ombudsman dismissed all charges that his former coworkers at the Bureau of Immigration (BI) filed against him.
Calima, a former intelligence officer at the BI, was accused of arranging the attempt to release some 1,316 Chinese detainees in exchange for P100 million.
Calima had served as the director of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office. He was the director for intelligence of the Philippine National Police prior to his retirement in 2015.
In 2016, he joined the BI.
“As for me, the Ombudsman resolution acting favorably on my motion for reconsideration and dismissing all the charges against me affirms my belief in our justice system, in the fairness and objectivity of our Ombudsman,” Calima said.
He added, “For Al Argosino, Michael Robles, Wally Sombero, and Jack Lam, I will not pass judgment on what they have done. I have done my job as a law enforcer.”
Argosino and Robles are BI deputy commissioners.
Meanwhile, Sombero and Lam (a.k.a. Lam Yin Lok, a.k.a. Yin Lok Lam) are president of Asian Gaming Service Provider Association, Inc. and executive director of Jimei International Entertainment Group Limited, respectively.
Argosino, Robles, Sombero, and Lam were also charged alongside Calima. But unlike Calima’s, the motions for consideration they filed were denied.
“The Ombudsman has sustained me in the plunder case I filed against Argosino and Robles,” Calima said. “Let them undergo due process. They can avail (themselves) of all legal remedies available for them.”
He added, “But at the end of the day, they have to face the consequences of their actions.”
Calima thanked all the people who helped and “stood by him” during the “most trying times” in his government service.
The Ombudsman dismissed the charges lodged against Calima through an order dated Nov. 23, 2017.
Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, Graft Investigator and Prosecution Officer III Lucielo Ramirez Jr., Graft Investigator and Prosecution Officer IV Millicent Reyes, and Acting Director PIAAPB-C Special Panel of Investigation chairperson Dyna Camba signed the order.
“Finding probable cause to indict respondents except Charles Calima Jr., let the appropriate information be filed before the proper court/s for the following criminal charges: one count of violation of Section 3 (e) of Republic Act (RA) 3019, one count of violation of RA 7080, one count of violation of Article 210 of the Revised Penal Code against Argosino, Robles, and Sombero, and one count of violation of Presidential Decree No. 46 against Argosino, Robles and Sombero, and Yin LokoLam,” part of an Oct. 23, 2017 consolidated resolution stated.
Calima said he had only been executing counter intelligence operation, sanctioned and supervised by his superior BI Commissioner Jaime Morente.
He added that after Argosino and Robles delivered two paper bags containing P18 million to him on Dec. 9, 2016, he immediately reported to Morente.
Calima pointed to the testimony of Morente before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on Jan. 23, 2017 and Feb. 16, 2017, where the latter admitted that indeed Calima reported the delivery of the said money to him that day in December 2016./PN
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