Senate eyes Aguirre link to Jack Lam bribery

MANILA, Philippines - Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre still has a lot of explaining to do about the P50-million bribery scandal involving his former officials at the Bureau of Immigration (BI), senators said at the start of the Senate inquiry into the issue yesterday.

The possibility of Aguirre’s involvement in the alleged bribery came out during the hearing of the Senate Blue Ribbon committee where former BI officials Al Argosino, Michael Robles and Charles Calima gave conflicting statements on how they got hold of the P50 million from retired police general Wally Sombero.

Aguirre, Argosino and Robles are fraternity brothers in Lex Tallionis in the San Beda College of Law.

Sombero is a trusted aide of Jack Lam, a gambling tycoon who fled the country last Nov. 29, two days after his unregistered online casino business in Clark was raided by Department of Justice and BI operatives that led to the arrest of some 1,316 Chinese employees.

Lam, through Sombero, had reportedly been negotiating for the release of at least 600 of his Chinese employees from BI detention at the Fontana Leisure Parks and Casino with Aguirre and the immigration officials.

Sen. Richard Gordon, chairman of the committee, said while he was not accusing Aguirre of anything, the justice secretary has answer satisfactorily many questions, particularly his separate instructions to Argosino and Robles, and Sombero, before money changed hands.

“The jury is not out yet. There are some questions that he (Aguirre) will have to explain...to complete the circle in fairness to him and others. He must explain beyond any doubt,” Gordon told reporters.

During the hearing, Argosino testified that Aguirre told him after their brief private meeting with Sombero and Lam at the Shangri-La hotel in Bonifacio Global City last Nov. 26: “Kayo nang bahala diyan (you take care of it).” 

Gordon described the instruction as claimed by Argosino as “loaded.” But Aguirre had excused himself from the hearing to attend a Cabinet meeting in Malacañang when Argosino made the statement.

Senators also want Aguirre to explain what his text message to Sombero telling him not to deal with Calima meant in the next hearing of the committee. 

Sombero failed to attend the hearing as he was confined in a hospital for “metabolic syndrome.”

Gordon said BI Commissioner Jaime Morente, Calima’s immediate superior and former classmate at the Philippine Military Academy, should also explain further.

Aguirre told senators that during the meeting, Sombero had repeatedly impressed upon him that Lam – who had two interpreters with him – was “super rich” and could give him whatever he wants.

“He (Sombero) told me it’s been a long time that no one has been taking care of Jack Lam and can the secretary of justice be a ninong (godfather) to him,” Aguirre told the inquiry. 

“I rejected the proposal because I know where the conversation was going,” he said.

He said he left Argosino behind at the meeting as he had to go up to the fourth floor to attend the alumni homecoming of their class at San Beda College of Law. 

Argosino, later joined by Robles, met again with Sombero at the City of Dreams in Parañaque City that same day and stayed there until before dawn of Nov. 27.

CCTV footage from the City of Dreams, which circulated in the media, showed Argosino and Robles leaving with five paper bags containing P48 million of the P50 million.

P2 million was retained by Sombero. He said he took the money as “evidence” for the extortion case he later iled against Argosino and Robles.

President Duterte, who is also a member of the fraternity, dismissed Argosino and Robles on Dec. 17 after Aguirre sacked Calima.

Before they were fired, Argosino and Robles presented to the media and surrendered to the DOJ last Dec. 13 P30 million, which they also said they retained as evidence in filing a corruption case against Sombero and Calima.

They testified that Calima tried to blackmail them and sought a share of the alleged bribe money. Argosino said he delivered P18 million to Calima.

Calima last Dec. 22 filed a plunder complaint against Argosino and Robles before the Office of the Ombudsman.

Calima said it was suspicious that just 12 hours after their meeting, Agrosino and Robles would receive P48 million.

Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV expressed suspicion that Agrosino and Robles were acting on Aguirre’s orders.

Trillanes said he was surprised that Aguirre mentioned the amount of P50 million in an interview with journalists last Dec. 1 when the figure was not yet reported in the media.

“Why would Wally Sombero and Jack Lam release P50 million that night if they were not comfortable with their conversation with the Secretary of Justice?” Trillanes pointed out.