Wally Sombero to face Senate inquiry on Jack Lam, BI bribery mess on Thursday

Former police official Wally Sombero is set to appear before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on Thursday to tell his side of the story on the P50-million bribery scandal involving two former Bureau of Immigration (BI) deputy commissioners.

Sombero, the supposed middleman of Chinese gambling tycoon Jack Lam, is alleged to have bribed former deputy commissioners Al Argosino and Michael Robles in exchange for the release of illegal Chinese workers arrested in Clark, Pampanga.

Sombero’s lawyer, Ted Contacto, assured that his client will tell all.

“Yun ang lilinawin bukas ni Mr. Sombero. I don’t want to preempt my client,” he said in an interview.

Prior to his arrival from Vancouver, Canada, Sombero said the BI controversy was a “consummated extortion rather than a mere perception of bribery.”

Aside from Sombero, expected to appear before the Blue Ribbon committee are businessman Charlie “Atong” Ang, a supposed business partner of Lam, as well as Lam’s two interpreters Alex Yu and Norman Ng.

Also listed as one of the resource persons is Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) President Alfredo Lim.

Robles and Argosino earlier said they “consolidated” the money allegedly given by Sombero during Lim's birthday.

Argosino claims he only kept the supposed bribe for a case build-up, while Robles said he just followed Argosino's lead.

Senator Manny Pacquiao, who recently admitted being longtime friends with Sombero, said however that it was Robles who insisted on the amount of P50 million.

Sombero had also cleared Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II of any involvement in the BI controversy.

“For the record, I have no knowledge of any connection or links that the Secretary is involved in this extortion scandal,” Sombero said.

Aguirre earlier admitted an attempt on the part of Sombero to bribe him during a November 26 meeting at a posh hotel in Taguig. He said he rejected the offer in the presence of Lam and his two interpreters, Sombero, and Argosino.

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV said however that Sombero was in no position to clear Aguirre being the "central figure" in the scandal.

“It doesn’t have any value at all kasi siya yung sangkot dyan. Bakit siya yung tatanungin nati kung sinong guilty o hindi?” Trillanes said. -NB, GMA News