Former Immigration deputy commissioners Al Argosino and Michael Robles on Friday pled “not guilty” to the charges filed against them by the Ombudsman.
The two are facing graft, direct bribery, violation of Presidential Decree 46 in connection with the P50-million bribery scandal at the Bureau of Immigration.
Earlier, Argosino and Robles each posted P60,000 bail at the anti-graft court’s Sixth Division. The bail is for one count each of violation of Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, direct bribery, and violation of Presidential Decree 46 which punishes public officials for receiving gifts from private individuals.
Argosino and Robles also face the non-bailable offense of plunder. But the Sandiganbayan has yet to establish probable cause in holding them for trial and issue their respective arrest warrants.
Retired police officer Wally Sombero is their co-accused in the plunder case. He has sought the dismissal of the case, saying there is no “main plunderer” on the charge of the Ombudsman prosecutors.
Chinese casino mogul Jack Lam, meanwhile, faces one count of violation of PD 46.
The Ombudsman charged Argosino, Robles, and Sombero with the non-bailable offense of plunder; and one count each of violation of Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, direct bribery, and violation of Presidential Decree 46.
Investigations from Ombudsman revealed that Argosino and Robles have acquired ill-gotten wealth worth P50 million when they conspired with Sombero, then-president of Asian Gaming Service Provider Association Inc., in exchange for assistance in the release of 1,316 illegal Chinese workers at Fontana Leisure Parks and Casino in Clark, Pampanga owned by Lam.
The Ombudsman said Argosino and Robles showed their alleged “manifest partiality, evident bad faith, or gross inexcusable negligence” when they conspired with Sombero for the multi-million bribe.
The Department of Justice had earlier dropped the plunder charges against Argosino and Robles since the money recovered from them was P1,000 short of a plunder case.
But the Ombudsman said Argosino and Robles are still liable under the Plunder Law, or Republic Act 7080, despite the missing P1,000. “It cannot excuse them from being indicted for plunder” since Robles himself admitted that “they took possession of all five bags containing the P50 million,” the Sandiganbayan said.
Chinese casino mogul Jack Lam will also face one count of violation of PD 46, a decree punishing public officials for receiving gifts from private individuals.
Sacked Intelligence chief Charles Calima Jr., however, was dropped from the case after the Ombudsman granted his motion for reconsideration for lack of probable cause.