Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — The associate of big-time casino operator Jack Lam denied on Wednesday reports that he has connections with sacked Immigration Intelligence chief Charles Calima.
Wally Sombero’s legal counsel, Ted Contacto, told the media that his client denied allegations of attempting to bribe Immigration officials with millions of pesos to release illegal Chinese workers detained at Lam’s casino in Clark, Pampanga, and to legalize the casino’s online operations.
Contacto said Sombero questioned the claim of suspended Immigration Deputy Commissioners Al Argosino and Michael Robles, that they accepted P50 million from Sombero as evidence for a case-buildup against Lam.
“Assuming, dumating si Jack Lam sa hotel, anong gagawin nila huhulihin nila? Dalawa lang sila eh,” Contacto said quoting Sombero. [Assuming Jack Lam showed up in the hotel, what will they do? They’ll arrest him? They’re only two.]
Contacto said the deputy commissioners initially asked for P100 million until the negotiations went up to more than P150 million — P50 million for goodwill, P50 million for the release of 700 illegal Chinese workers, another P50 million for the release of the next 600 Chinese illegal workers, and around P70,000 for some paper work such as filing fee.
During Sombero’s meeting with Argosino and Robles at a hotel in Parañaque, Contacto said Sombero gave P50 million in two tranches — he first turned over P20 million, then the two commisioners waited for four hours for the remaining P30 million.
Also read: Immigration Deputy Commissioners Argosino, Robles: Our integrity is intact
Contacto said if it was an entrapment operation, Robles and Argosino had four hours to call for an arresting team or backup.
“Sabi nila entrapment. My God, ilang taon na akong abogado ngayon lang ako nakakita ng entrapment na dadalawang tao lang.” [They said it was entrapment. My God, I’m a lawyer for many years and it’s just now that I heard of an entrapment with only two arresting officers.]
Contacto added Sombero sought help from Calima before the meeting.
He said Sombero left the country and decided to return and reveal the information in his desire to support the president in his fight against corruption.
“He was already abroad. But sabi nga, hindi kaya ng konsensya nya. He came back because he supports the effort of President Rodrigo Duterte in his campaign to get rid of corrupt officials,” Contacto said. “He could have stayed abroad and not risk his life.”
Also read: Justice Secretary sacks Bureau of Immigration’s Calima and his assistant
Sombero also wanted to clear Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre’s name.
Sombero is currently preparing a second document after finishing his judicial affidavit.
“He came back and asked for a protective custody of the NBI (National Bureau of Investigation),” Contacto said. “One of the reasons why he came back is to disprove that the Secretary is involved. Because there were insinuations according to him.”
Contacto, who also represents Calima, said Calima will also release a press statement on Friday “to clear his name.”
CNN Philippines’ Triciah Terada contributed to this report.
Watch: Deeper probe into alleged corruption at Bureau of Immigration
