Duterte sacks two immigration deputy commissioners
President Rodrigo Duterte fired two bureau of immigration deputy commissioners who were accused of receiving P50 million in bribe money from gambling tycoon Jack Lam.
Duterte announced this Saturday morning in a press conference at the Davao City International Airport where he also ordered Lam’s properties confiscated,
He was referring to Deputy Immigration Commissoners Al Argosino and Michael Robles. Charles Calima, intelligence chief at the immigration bureau and his deputy Edward Chan, were earlier dismissed by Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II.
Duterte said Argosino and Robles are his fraternity brothers at the San Beda college of law. “But I told (presidential aide) Bong Go , tell them to resign. You’re fired,” he said.
Argosino and Robles actually resigned some three hours before Duterte arrived from Singapore late Friday. Wally Sombrero, a retired police officer who was alleged to be the go-between in the payoff, earlier Friday filed a criminal complaint against the two immigration bureau officials at the Office of Ombudsman..
Duterte said he would welcome Lam’s return after he left the country November 29 a few days after the alleged bribe attempt was reported. On December 3, Duterte ordered the National Bureau of Investigation to arrest Lam, who owns Fontana Leisure Park and Casino at Clark, Pampanga..
Duterte added:” I’ll be sequestering all of his properties. Everything. Why? He cheated on us.”
“He was parlaying a permit that was given him by ( former President) Corazon Aquino. So while he was just enjoying paying one percent… all the others are paying 10 percent…. And when you talk in public it was as if everybody in government was in your pocket. That’s why I ordered his arrest. I called NBI in the wee hours of the morning, I told them to arrest him,” said Duterte.
Duterte said Lam is paying taxes here “but for the outside of the Philippines betting, that is something else and we have not been able to much we have lost.”
Duterte said investigations on the two BI officials, Calima and Chan will continue. But he said he not believe Chan “is part of it..” “Let’s see what develops,” said Duterte
Argosino and Robles admitted receiving P48-million from Lam as part of their investigation on corruption in the Bureau of Immigration..
"To spare the Honorable President from the troubles brought about by the false allegation hurled by Mr. Wally Sombrero, we are tendering our resignation effective immediately," Argosino and Robles said in a text message Friday evening.
Of the P50 million, allegedly P2 million was given to Wally Sombero while the P18-million was given to Calima.
The remaining amount was turned over to the Department of Justice.
Argosino and Robles filed criminal complaint against Lam, Sombero, Calima and Lam's two interpreters before the Paranaque Prosecutors Office.
Sombrero filed a criminal complaint against the two officials before the Office of the Ombudsman.
"Now that both cases have already been filed, it is time for the truth to prevail," the two resigned BI officials said. DMS
