2 ex-Immigration execs plead not guilty to graft

MANILA, Philippines — Former Bureau of Immigration (BI) commissioners Al Argosino and Michael Robles yesterday maintained their innocence on allegations of extorting P50 million from Macau-based gambling tycoon Jack Lam in 2016.

Appearing before the Sandiganbayan Sixth Division, Argosino and Robles both pleaded not guilty during their arraignment for cases of graft, direct bribery and violation of Presidential Decree 46, which prohibits public officials from receiving gifts or money from a private person.

Meanwhile, Argosino and Robles’ co-accused – retired police officer Wenceslao “Wally” Sombero Jr. – was not arraigned as he remains confined at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City since May 16.

Sombero’s camp said the former police official is confined due to various illnesses including thrombosis.

The court reset his arraignment on June 8.

Argosino, Robles and Sombero are also facing a plunder case in connection with the alleged extortion incident but none of them was arraigned for it yesterday as the court has yet to resolve their respective motions seeking dismissal of the case.

Filed by the Office of the Ombudsman on March 23, all cases stemmed from Argosino and Robles’ alleged receipt of a total of P50-million bribe money from Lam in exchange for the release of 1,316 Chinese nationals working at Lam’s Fontana Leisure Parks and Casino in Clark, Pampanga.

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

The ombudsman said the bribe money was handed by Sombero to Argosino and Robles at the City of Dreams Hotel and Casino in Parañaque on Nov. 27, 2016. Sombero was at the time president of Asian Gaming Service Providers Association Inc.

Argosino, Robles and Sombero are detained at the Quezon City Jail Annex in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig.

Floirendo pleads not guilty

Meanwhile, Davao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Antonio Floirendo Jr. likewise pleaded not guilty to a graft case in a separate arraignment also held at the Sandiganbayan Sixth Division.

Floirendo’s arraignment finally pushed through after the Sixth Division recently denied his motion seeking to revert the case to the ombudsman for a re-investigation.

The court set the start of the formal trial on Floirendo’s case on Aug. 15. 

The prosecution manifested that they intend to present 18 witnesses, while Floirendo’s lawyers said they might present only four.

In yesterday’s hearing, the Sixth Division granted in open court Floirendo’s motion to travel to South Korea from June 2 to 7 to be part of the business delegation of the Department of Trade and Industry in time for President Duterte’s state visit there.

Filed by the ombudsman on Feb. 9, the graft case against Floirendo stemmed from his alleged illegal financial interests with Tagum Agricultural Development Co. Inc. (Tadeco), a banana plantation doing business with the government.

The ombudsman investigated Floirendo after Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez filed a complaint against him last year. Alvarez alleged that Floirendo, the biggest financier of Duterte’s presidential bid, continues to be a board member of Tadeco despite his election as congressman.