MANILA - The Sandiganbayan has denied motions for reconsideration that former Bureau of Immigration (BI) deputy commissioners Al Argosino and Michael Robles filed to seek the dismissal of their plunder case in connection with the P50-million bribery scandal involving Chinese nationals caught illegally working in a Pampanga leisure park.

The court's 6th Division did not give weight to the supposed new information offered by Argosino that the money they received was not a bribe in exchange for the release of the Chinese workers.

The court said Argosino was essentially asking for a re-investigation of the case, a move prohibited by the Supreme Court under its revised guidelines.

“A plain reading of his arguments would show that he is praying for the reinvestigation of the case because, according to him, the Office of the Ombudsman disregarded certain affidavits that would establish facts supporting the innocence of the accused, i.e. that the money was intended for bail of the detained Chinese nationals, and that there was no bribery or extortion,” the court said.

The decision, penned by 6th Division Chairperson Sarah Jane Fernandez, affirmed the court's earlier ruling junking the dismissal plea.

• Sandiganbayan junks ex-BI official's plea to dismiss plunder case

The court also reiterated that all the elements of plunder are present in the information filed by the Office of the Ombudsman.

With the denial of their motions for reconsideration, Argosino and Robles are expected to be arrainged for plunder.

Last week, they were arraigned for their direct bribery and graft cases and pleaded not guilty.

Also facing plunder, graft and direct bribery charges are Chinese businessman Jack Lam, supposed source of the bribe, and retired policeman Wally Sombero, who allegedly acted as middleman in the supposed transaction.