Sombero clears Aguirre of involvement in BI bribery scandal

MANILA, Philippines — The alleged middleman of gambling magnate Jack Lam cleared Tuesday Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II of involvement in the bribery scandal engulfing the department and the Bureau of Immigration (BI) as he said that he was prepared to invoke his right against self-incrimination.

Sombero, who arrived from Vancouver, Canana on Tuesday morning, cleared the justice secretary of any link or connection to the bribery scandal at the BI.

"For the record, gusto ko sanang to put this into record. I have no knowledge or any connection or link that the secretary is involved in the extortion scandal," Sombero, a retired police general told reporters waiting for him at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2.

The move came after Sen. Francis Escudero expressed doubts on the justice chief's innocence.

Escudero said that there were still many questions yet to be answered especially on the role that Aguirre played as the superior of the BI commissioners caught receiving money from Lam.

The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee is currently investigating into alleged attempts by Lam, through his representative Wally Sombero Jr., to bribe BI Commissioners Al Argosino and Michael Robles into releasing undocumented Chinese workers found to have been illegally working in his casino hotel in Pampanga.

Robles and Argosino are accused of receiving P50 million from Lam to facilitate the release of the illegal Chinese workers.

President Rodrigo Duterte fired Argosino and Robles from their posts after they admitted accepting and keeping the money purportedly as part of a probe against Lam, a Macau-based businessman.

Duterte, Argosino and Robles are fraternity brothers and members of the San Beda College of Law's Lex Talionis Fraternitas.

Sombero is expected to appear before the Blue Ribbon committee on Thursday, following repeated failures by the former police officer to give his testimony.

Sombero also said that he would answer only some questions to avoid incriminating himself.

"I will invoke my right against self-incrimination kasi nasa korte na," Sombero said, referring to cases that have already been filed with the Ombudsman and a Parañaque court.