Ex-Immigration officials appeal bail denial

MANILA, Philippines — Former Bureau of Immigration (BI) commissioners Al Argosino and Michael Robles as well as retired police officer Wenceslao “Wally” Sombero Jr. have urged the Sandiganbayan to reconsider its earlier ruling denying their petition for bail for a plunder case over the alleged extortion of gambling tycoon Jack Lam.

The charges stemmed from their alleged extortion of P50 million from Lam in exchange for the release of 1,316 Chinese working at Lam’s Fontana Leisure Parks and Casino in Clark, Pampanga.

The Chinese were arrested by the BI on Nov. 24, 2016 on charges of overstaying and violations of immigration laws.

The ombudsman said the handing of bribe money took place at City of Dreams Hotel and Casino in Parañaque and was facilitated by Sombero, who was then the president of Asian Gaming Service Providers Association Inc.

In separate motions for reconsideration, Argosino, Robles and Sombero said the court’s Sixth Division erred in its Aug. 30 ruling when it stated that they are not entitled to bail as the Office of the Ombudsman’s evidence against them is strong.

Argosino said none of the witnesses presented by the ombudsman’s prosecution panel had personal knowledge of the events that supposedly transpired when he and Robles allegedly demanded P50 million bribe from Lam, or when the bribe money was supposedly handed to them by Sombero.

He also argued that the ombudsman’s case information sheet is “fatally defective” as it failed to identify who among him, Robles and Sombero is the “main plunderer” in the case.

Robles, meanwhile, said the court erred in declaring that prosecution’s evidence shows that the bribe money allegedly received by him and Argosino was in the aggregate amount of P50 million, the threshold amount of ill-gotten wealth for a crime to be considered as plunder under Republic Act 7080 or the Plunder Law.

Robles said there is no video footage nor any testimonial evidence that can prove that he and Argosino received the bribe money. 

Sombero said there was no testimony or evidence showing that he conspired with Argosino and Robles. 

Argosino, Robles and Sombero have been detained at the Quezon City Jail Annex in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig since they were charged with plunder on March 23.