Sombero clears Aguirre of involvement in BI bribery controversy

Retired police official Wally Sombero on Tuesday dismissed insinuations that Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II may have been involved in the P50-million bribery scandal at the Bureau of Immigration (BI). 

“For the record, I have no knowledge of any connection or links that the Secretary is involved in this extortion scandal,” Sombero told reporters after he arrived from Canada. 

It was Senator Antonio Trillanes IV who raised the possibility that Aguirre was also interested in the multi-million peso bribe that Chinese gaming tycoon Jack Lam was allegedly offering to dismissed BI deputy commissioners Al Argosino and Michael Robles. 

The alleged bribe was supposedly for the release of 1,316 illegal Chinese workers at Lam's casino in Clark, Pampanga. 

Trillanes insinuated during the Senate hearing on January 23 that Aguirre tasked Argosino to deal with Lam’s group on his behalf even as the justice chief claimed to have outrightly rejected the offer to protect Lam’s online gambling interests during a meeting at a posh hotel in Taguig City on November 26 last year.

Aguirre denied making such instruction to Argosino.

“There’s no corruption, only perception,” Sombero said, adding that he will tell all during the Senate hearing.

Prior to Sombero’s arrival, the Senate blue ribbon committee had threatened to cite him in contempt and have his passport canceled after missing the third hearing on February 9.

Sombero cited poor health for his absence. 

He also claimed to have received threats to his life and urged the Senate to secure him. — RSJ, GMA News