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'Bakit ngayon lang?': Sombero camp hits BI execs' turnover of Lam cash

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Jaimaine Punzalan, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/news-special1/nation/12/14/micheal-robles-al-argosino-121416.jpg"/><figcaption><div class="embed-desc">Micheal Robles and Al Argosino show cash bundles which allegedly came from businessman Jack Lam.</div></figcaption></figure></div>MANILA - Immigration deputy commissioners Micheal Robles and Al Argosino would not have returned the millions of pesos they accepted from gambling tycoon Jack Lam if the issue had not gained media traction. So said the camp of retired police official Wally Sombero, who negotiated with the two high-ranking Bureau of Immigration (BI) commissioners for the release of Lam&#x27;s undocumented Chinese workers. Sombero&#x27;s counsel, Atty. Ted Contacto, pointed out that Robles and Argosino only turned over the money to the Department of Justice (DOJ) after journalist Ramon Tulfo reported that two Immigration officials allegedly extorted money from Lam. &quot;Inamin nila na nakatanggap nga sila. Ang question nga diyan is, bakit ngayon lang? Sabi ni Wally, paano kung hindi inexpose ni Mon Tulfo, magkakasaulian ba ng pera?&quot; Contacto said. Robles and Argosino on Tuesday admitted to accepting P50 million from Lam last November 27, but insisted they only did so as part of an investigation against the Macau-based businessman. They also claimed P2 million of the P50 million went to Sombero, who facilitated the transfer of money, while P18 million was pocketed by retired police general Charles Calima, chief of the BI’s intelligence unit. Contacto, however, scoffed at the BI officials&#x27; claim of investigating Lam as this cannot be done by two persons alone. &quot;My God, ilang taon na akong abogado, ngayon lang ako nakakita ng entrapment na dalawang tao lang. Pag nag-entrap ka, maraming tao na involved diyan,&quot; he said. The officials, he added, attempted to extort money from Sombero as early as November 25. The lawyer said his client had been hesitant to report the incident to Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre because Robles and Argosino were his fraternity brothers. Sombero instead sought help from Calima who agreed to help mount an entrapment operation against the officials and later reached out to Tulfo. Calima and Sombero are set to hold a press conference on Friday to clear their names, Contento said. &quot;Everything will fall in its proper place this coming Friday,&quot; the lawyer added.

Immigration officials Micheal Robles and Al Argosino would not have returned the millions of pesos they accepted from gambling tycoon Jack Lam if the issue had not gained media traction.

Immigration officials Micheal Robles and Al Argosino would not have returned the millions of pesos they accepted from gambling tycoon Jack Lam if the issue had not gained media traction.

'Bakit ngayon lang?': Sombero camp hits BI execs' turnover of Lam cash

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'Bakit ngayon lang?': Sombero camp hits BI execs' turnover of Lam cash

Jaimaine Punzalan,

ABS-CBN News

Published Dec 14, 2016 07:26 PM PHT

Read More:

Bureau of Immigration

Department of Justice

Jack Lam

Al Argosino

Michael Robles

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