BI execs to file corruption case vs intel chief Calima

MANILA, Philippines — Bureau of Immigration (BI) deputy commissioners Al Argosino and Mike Robles will be filing a corruption of public official case against Charles Calima, the bureau's intelligence chief, for allegedly taking bribe money.

 

Aside from the corruption of public official case, the two deputy commissioners will also be filing a complaint against him for allegedly violating the Anti-Wiretapping Act.

 

This, after discovering audio recordings in Calima's laptop, as well as suspiciously acquired knowledge of the happenings with retired Chief Superintendent Wally Sombero, which resulted in Calima allegedly obtaining P18 million of the P50 million bribe money from Jack Lam.

 

Argosino and Robles were accused of extorting P50 million from Lam, which was supposed to pave the way for the release of 600 of 1,316 Chinese workers caught in an illegal online casino operated by Lam in Clark Field, Pampanga.

 

The two deputy commissioners admitted the receipt of P48 million on November 27, 2016, but denied the bribery accusations. Meanwhile, Sombero took custody of P2 million as future evidence of corruption by public officials.

 

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre III said on Sunday that he initiated a probe with the help of the National Bureau of Investigations to investigate the allegations that Chinese nationals were able to work without visas and other permits from the Bureau of Immigration.

 

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Argosino and Robles decided to continue the investigations after a series of events, where they were able to find a supposed link between Lam, his two interpreters and Calima.

 

They decided to file the cases after concluding that Calima is already on the run with the P18 million.

 

Late Tuesday afternoon, Argosino and Robles surrendered the remaining P30 million of bribe money from Lam to the DOJ.