Ex-BI execs sued over P50M extortion anomaly
December 22, 2016 | 6:47pm
Deputy Commissioners Al Argosino and Michael Robles surrender P30 million bribe money allegedly received from Jack Lam. Edd Gumban/Philstar.com, File
MANILA, Philippines — Sacked Bureau of Immigration (BI) intelligence chief Charles Calima on Thursday filed plunder and graft complaint against two former BI deputy commissioners over the alleged P50 million extortion on Macau-based gambling tycoon Jack Lam.
In his 16-page complaint-affidavit filed before the Office of the Ombudsman, Calima charged resigned BI Deputy Commissioners Al Argosino and Michael Robles with violations of Republic Act 7080 or the Plunder Law and RA 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
In his complaint-affidavit, a portion of which was obtained by the STAR, Calima belied Argosino and Robles' claim that their receipt of supposed bribe money from Lam was part of their investigation into the latter's alleged illegal online gambling operations.
Calima said Argosino and Robles' equal sharing of P24 million each from the P50 million given by Lam is an indication that the two officials were the only ones involved in the extortion anomaly.
"This only proves that the extortion incident was only for the benefit of the two and that the names of people that they have been name-dropping to make it appear to the Chinese that they were just emissaries negotiating for the extortion demand was just the creation of their imagination," Calima's complaint read.
"In truth and in fact, the extortion attempt was just for their own benefit, as shown by the equal sharing which they did to the money," it added.
Argosino and Robles had earlier claimed that they only got P30 million out of the P50 million payout by Lam.
The two BI officials said P18 million of the P50 million was taken by Calima while the remaining P2 million went to retired police officer turned Lam's associate, Wally Sombero.
The P50 million that Lam shelled out was supposedly for the release of 1,316 Chinese nationals working at his Fontana Leisure Parks and Casino in Clark, Pampanga.
The Chinese were arrested by BI on November 24 for charges of overstaying and other violations of immigration laws.
Argosino and Robles had earlier returned P30 million to the Department of Justice.
In his complaint, Calima denied receiving any amount from Lam's pay out.
Calima said he even launched an intelligence investigation on the anomaly after being informed about it by Sombero on November 25.
"On around 10:00 in the evening of November 25, 2016 Wally Sombero called me on the phone to report that someone informed him that there were some Bureau of Immigration officials who were, in his words 'humihingi ng areglo' in connection with the arrest of 1,316 Chinese nationals who were arrested the day before in Fontana Leisure Park in Clark Field, Angeles, Pampanga," Calima recounted in his complaint.
"I subsequently informed (BI) Commisioner Morente about this report and he gave his clearance that we now proceed with the CI (counter intelligence) operation," Calima added.
Calima said that based on his succeeding conversations with Sombero, Argosino and Robles got P50 million from Lam on November 27 but the two officials were still asking another P50 million.
"When we (Sombero) met again, he narrated to me everything that transpired in the meeting and he said that Argosino was very insistent on getting the additional P50 million, together with the around P35 million to pay for the bail of around 600 Chinese Nationals," the complaint read.
Calima attached in his complaint his exchanges of text messages with Sombero.
He also attached a memorandum from the Philippine National Police for the temporary custody of P18 million that his team supposedly retrieved from Argosino and Robles' safehouse.
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