Aguirre names OICs for top BI posts

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II has appointed officers-in-charge to assume the responsibilities left by two ranking Bureau of Immigration (BI) officials embroiled in an extortion controversy involving gambling tycoon Jack Lam.

Aguirre made the appointments on Monday, the same day Immigration Deputy Commissioners Al Argosino and Michael Robles announced they were taking a one-month leave of absence to give way to the investigation on P50-million extortion issue.

Tasked to run Argosino's office for the meantime was Estanislao Canta, chief of the BI board of special inquiry.

BI fugitive search unit head Jose Carlitos Licas, meanwhile, was assigned to fulfill Robles' duties.

Argosino and Robles' leaves of absence will end on January 11, 2017, but Aguirre had already asked President Rodrigo Duterte to fire them, citing loss of trust and confidence for their alleged failure to "perform their respective duties beyond reproach."

The two officials were allegedly caught on video accepting money from former police Chief Superintendent Wally Sombero, who is linked to Lam, owner of the Fontana Leisure Parks and Casino in Clark, Pampanga where 1,316 undocumented Chinese workers were apprehended by BI operatives on November 24.

The money was allegedly intended to faciltate the release of the 600 Chinese nationals illegally working for Lam's online gambling operations at Fontana.

Argosino and Robles confirmed receiving P48 million from Sombero as part of their investigation on the corruption at the bureau involving Lam, a Macau-based businessman.

Amid the controversy, Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente called on employees to focus on their job in securing the country's borders.

"Let not the developments of recent days derail us from the task at hand. We have a job to do, a job that we must do well as one team," he said in a statement.

Morente said the challenge is to build on the initiatives and innovations "we have been able to do as one efficient, reliable service-oriented team."

The Immigration chief cited, among other initiatives, the reduction of the number of processors and signatories, modernization of the ACR (Alien Certificate of Registration) i-Card System, 24/7 online help desk, interconnectivity with Interpol database, and the BI Information System.

"We have started well, harnessing the experience and expertise of the men and women of the bureau, as well as the support and cooperation of our partners and stakeholders," he said.

"Let us ride the momentum of our collective efforts, and sustain the gains that we have made possible, together." —ALG, GMA News