SENATOR Francis Escudero on Thursday said he was not convinced as yet that Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II had nothing to do with the P50-m bribery in exchange for the release of illegal Chinese workers in a casino owned by gambling mogul Jack Lam.
Asked if he has cleared Aguirre after hearing his testmonies in the Senate committee on public order and illegal drugs, conducting inquiry into the bribe scandal at the Bureau of Immigration, Escudero said he was not ready to do that for some reasons.
Escudero said he was baffled why Aguirre would meet with Lam and his aide, retired police Supt. Wally Somberl, in a hotel if they were to talk job-related matters.
Aguirre admitted on Oct. 26, 2016, he met with Lam, who was then with two interpreters, and Sombero at Shangri-La Bonifacio Global City, where he earlier attended the San Beda College of Law Alumni Homecoming.
Aguirre was with dismissed Immigration Deputy Commissioner Al Argosino, one of the two BI officials implicated in the bribery. The other official named in the bribe scandal was Deputy Commissioner Michael Robles.
During the meeting, Sombero, who arranged the meeting, told Aguirre nobody was taking care of Lam for a long time.
Aguirre reportedly expressed displeasure and left, but before leaving, he reportedly instructed Argosino to take charge.
When pressed in the hearing if it was true that he told Argosino —‘‘bahala ka na dyan,” Aguirre said he could not remember saying those words, but in case he did, there was no malice in it. He insisted it was just a common expression.
The BI is an attached agency of the Department of Justice, headed by Aguirre. The two deputy commissioners are fraternity brothers of Aguirre at Lex Taliones.
He divulged that Aguirre was also a lawyer in a case of Argosino, another reason their “closeness” was indisputable.
Escudero also reiterated that Aguirre had been pushing for Argosino to replace BI Commissioner Jaime Morente as they have not been in good terms. But he does not know the reason for the existing animosity between the two.
“And why did he not delegate this to Morente and why the need for him to be there [in that meeting]. Morente, the boss of Argosino, was not there… Argosino faced Mr. Lam,” said Escudero.
“If it were true and Secretary Aguirre admitted it, why did he tell Wally Sombero to talk to the two BI commissioners and not [BI Intelligence Officer Charles] Calima. I can’t get it. Was it because he [Aguirre] sees Calima dirty and the two as not [dirty]?’’
Escudero said it now depended on Argosino and Robles if they would opt to tell the truth and identify those involved and who ordered them.
Argosino and Robles stood their ground as they continuously protested their innocence.
They debunked accusations of bribery and insisted they were investigating violations of human trafficking law and corruption of public officials after being bribed by Lam through Sombero.
Admitting they received the P50-million and brought them to their respective houses, the two imigration officials stressed they were to use them as evidence against Lam.
Escudero also questioned why the justice secretaary had an estimated amount in mind in case he would be bribed as a public official.
He was alluding to Aguirre’s radio interview wherein he said he would have been given P50 million to P100 million if he agreed to be bribed by Sombero.
