Pacquiao: Sombero claimed Robles insisted on P50-M bribe

Senator Manny Pacquiao on Wednesday said that former police officer Wally Sombero has claimed that dismissed Immigration deputy commissioner Michael Robles insisted on extorting P50 million from Chinese tycoon Jack Lam.

"Ang binanggit niya sa akin (Sombero), si [commissioner] Al Argosino at Robles ang humingi at sinabi niya na si Robles ang nagpupumilit na kompletuhin yung P50 million," Pacquiao said in an interview on GMA News' Unang Balita.

The extortion was allegedly in connection with the arrest of Chinese nationals illegally working at Lam's casino and leisure park in Clark, Pampanga.

"Kaya nga doon sa video, iyong naghintay pa sila nang two hours dahil P20 million lang ang dala. Si Robles ang nagpumilit na hindi pwedeng kulang, yun ang pahayag niya (Sombero)," the senator added. 

Argosino and Robles had denied that they exorted the P50 million from Lam. They claimed it was part of their investigation on the corruption activities in the Bureau of Immigration.

Pacquiao on Tuesday revealed that he convinced his friend, former police officer Wally Sombero, to return to the country and face the Senate probe.

"Si Wally, matagal na kaming magkakilala. Hindi pa ako congressman, hindi pa ako senador, magkakilala na kami. At tinawagan ko siya nasa ibang bansa siya, ang sabi ko kung nandiyan ka, lalo lang pinapahirapan yung sarili mo na magkakaroon ka ng problema dito sa ating bansa. 

"Mas mabuti pa na umuwi ka rito, sabihin mo ang totoo. Sabi niya sigurado ba na walang mangyayari sa akin diyan. Natatakot din siya," Pacquaio said.

Extortion not bribery

Sombero's lawyer, Ted Contacto, meanwhile, said Sombero had no intention to go into hiding when he left the country last month.

"Sa pagkakaalam ko wala naman. Actually, he wanted to seek a second opinion regarding his medical condition. And yun nga, there were persistent death threats. Syempre iniisip nya ang security niya, but then again wala talaga siyang balak umalis or iwanan 'yung sitwasyon. He really wanted to come back," Contacto said in an interview on News To Go.

Sombero arrived from Vancouver, Canada on Tuesday.

Contacto also assured Sombero will tell everything about the alleged extortion try at the resumption of the Senate blue ribbon committee hearing on the issue on Thursday.

"Yun ang lilinawin bukas ni Mr. Sombero. I don't want to preempt my client," the lawyer said.

"You can deduce, parang posporo at saka palito. Walang apoy kung walang kikiskis. Ang question, sino ang nagkiskis (ng posporo)? Bakit nagka apoy?" he added.

Sombero was the one who handed P48 million to Argosino and Robles during a meeting at a casino hotel in Parañaque City last November 27, three days after immigration operatives apprehended the Chinese nationals at Fontana Leisure Parks and Casino.

Sombero kept the P2 million supposedly intended for the processing of release papers of the arrested Chinese.

In a press conference in Quezon City following his arrival, Sombero repeatedly clarified that he did not try to bribe the two dismissed immigration officials and that it was a case of extortion.

Sombero is expected to appear in the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on Thursday. —Marlly Rome C. Bondoc and Virgil Lopez/LBG/ALG, GMA News