THE Office of the Ombudsman on Friday indicted two former commissioners of the Bureau of Immigration for plunder for demanding and receiving P50 million in exchange for the release of 1,316 arrested Chinese nationals violating immigration laws.
Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales ordered the filing of charges against ex-commissioners Al Argosino and Michael Robles, along with Wenceslao Sombero Jr., president of the Asian Gaming Service Providers Association Inc.
Investigation showed Argosino and Robles received P50 million from Chinese businessman Jack Lam in a deal facilitated by Sombero.
On Nov. 27, 2016, “Argosino and Robles, in connivance with Sombero, accumulated or acquired ill-gotten wealth in the amount of P50 million, through a combination or series of overt or criminal acts committed on a single day.”
Argosino, Robles and Sombero were also charged with one count each of direct bribery and graft and two counts of violating a presidential decree against receiving any gift on any occasion.
Former intelligence chief Charles Calima Jr. faced one count each of direct bribery and violation of RA 3019.
Lam was charged with violating PD 46 for giving P50 million to the Immigration officials.
“While the amount returned by Argosino to the Department of Justice lacks One Thousand Pesos, it cannot excuse them from being indicted for Plunder” since they failed to controvert, by clear and convincing evidence, the claims of Norman Ng and Alex Yu [Lam’s business associates] that money, amounting to P50M, changed hands at the City of Dreams in the City of Manila,” the Ombudsman’s consolidated resolution says.
“This is aside from Robles’ admission that “they took possession of all five bags containing the P50 million.”
The Ombudsman dismissed the claim of Argosino and Robles that they merely took custody of the money for safekeeping and as evidence in an ongoing investigation on illegal online gambling.
Morales cited their acts of giving P2 million to Sombero, keeping the remaining money with them from Nov. 27, 2016, to Dec. 8, 2016, instead of turning over the same to the proper authorities for safekeeping.
Argosino and Robles used their official functions as deputy Immigration commissioners in committing the crimes, while Sombero acted as a conspirator and a middle man.