Senate recommends plunder, graft charges vs. Argosino, Robles

The Senate has recommended the filing of plunder, graft and corruption, and direct bribery charges against former Immigration deputy commissioners Al Argosino and Michael Robles in connection with the P50-million bribery-extortion scandal in 2016.

The Senate, in the plenary on Tuesday, adopted the report and recommendations of the blue ribbon committee which conducted investigation on the scandal.

The committee submitted its report in December 2017 but it was only on Tuesday that it was reported to the plenary.

Argosino and Robles were accused of receiving P50 million in bribe money from retired police officer Wally Sombero, the supposed middleman of gambling tycoon Jack Lam.

The money was supposedly intended in exchange for the release of the 1,316 illegal Chinese workers who were arrested during a raid in Lam's casino in Pampanga.

Sombero claimed the controversy was a case of "extortion."

In his sponsorship speech, Senator Richard Gordon, chairman of the committee, said Sombero should be charged with plunder and corruption since his act of bringing out the money from the casino and bringing it to Argosino and Robles indicates his co-principal participation.

He said BI Intelligence Officer Charles Calima should also be charged with direct bribery, and that Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre III must explain thoroughly why he consented to have a meeting with Sombero and Lam.

"Sec. Aguirre was less than prudent in dealing with the situation. He should have possessed sufficient foresight – not to deal privately with people who have pending cases with the department he heads," Gordon said.

He said BI Commissioner Jaime Morente should be directed to explain the lapses in monitoring the entry and activities of illegal foreign nationals and as to what precautionary or preventive measures the bureau has to observe and adopt so as to totally eradicate the proliferation of illegal foreign entrants.

Gordon also recommended an amendment to Republic Act No. 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, which prohibits public officials from meeting any person who has pending matter/s before them and outside their office. 

He said should the public officer be seen in a public or private meeting with a person who has a pending matter before one’s office, the public officer should be asked to show cause why he or she should not be administratively charged with unethical conduct which shall be considered a grave misconduct and can be penalized with dismissal from public service.

Gordon also urged the Ombudsman to follow through the cases against the said public officials to ensure that they will be held accountable.

As early as October 2017, the Ombudsman has ordered the filing of plunder charges against Argosino, Robles, and Sombero. 

The three are also facing one count each of direct bribery and violation of Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and two counts of violation of Presidential Decree No. 46, or the decree punishing public officials for receiving gifts from private individuals. —KBK, GMA News