Wang Bo to be finally deported after De Lima affirms order

Gambling fugitive Wang Bo, who was earlier accused of bribing officials to be taken off the Philippine government's blacklist, can now be deported back to China.

 

This was after Justice Secretary Leila de Lima denied the Chinese national's motion for reconsideration (MR), which had sought to reverse De Lima's June 8 resolution affirming his deportation.

 

Wang Bo is wanted in China for allegedly embezzling $100 million. He escaped to the Philippines but was arrested last February. A deportation order was initially issued against him last March 5 but was eventually reversed on May 21 after he appealed.

 

Immigration officials later ordered that Wang Bo be taken out of the government's black list. Just as he was about to walk free, De Lima issued an order holding his release.

 

De Lima would later reinstate his deportation in her June 8 resolution.

 

In denying Wang Bo's MR, De Lima said she found no reason to reverse her June 8 resolution, saying the evidence received and documents presented by the Chinese Embassy were sufficient and warrants his deportation.

 

De Lima said Wang Bo's excuse that he has been travelling to and from China without being arrested was deemed "irrelevant to the case for being a matter internal to the People's Republic of China."

 

"What was considered here is the fact that the People's Republic of China had cancelled (Wang Bo's) passport and that he was, as well, declared a fugitive from the said country," she said.

 

"The 5 March 2015 summary deportation order against movant Wang Bo shall henceforth be immediately implemented without further delay whatsoever," De Lima said.

 

Wang Bo's money was also allegedly used to bribe Immigration officials in exchange for his release and a clean passport.

 

Wang Bo allegedly gave P100 million to BI officials, while $10 million was supposedly allotted for 292 lawmakers who were voting on the BBL.

 

Wang Bo, facing a House panel, had earlier denied the bribery charges, saying he does not have enough money to pay off individuals, especially since he supposedly only earns P25,000 a month.

 

But De Lima said Wang Bo was apparently not exactly "the ordinary office employee in dearth of resources to engage necessary professional services to prevent his deportation."

 

Despite an ongoing probe by the National Bureau of Investigation, De Lima said the probe can no longer serve as an obstacle to his immediate deportation.

 

De Lima said the NBI is set to submit "any day now" its final report on its investigation into the bribery claims. — RSJ, GMA News