(Eagle News) — Two deputy commissioners of the Bureau of Immigration officials went on a 30-day leave of absence to give way to the probe of the National Bureau of Investigation on their alleged extortion attempt on Chinese gambling operator Jack Lam.
Immigration associate commissioners Al Argosino and Michael B. Robles allegedly tried to extort P50 million from Jack Lam in exchange for the release of 600 of the more than a thousand arrested Chinese nationals working at the Fontana Leisure Parks and Casino without working visas.
https://youtu.be/jjo0Hhz9TlQ
On Monday, December 12, the two officials now in hot water were summoned by the Department of Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II.
Argosino, in an interview at the DOJ, confirmed that they had indeed filed their leave of absence to give way to the NBI investigation.
“We are tending our leave of absence for 30 days effective immediately, By tomorrow, we will be making our press statement as to what actually transpired in this case,” Argosino told reporters at the DOJ.
A former police official, Wally Sombero, claimed he reported the extort try to Aguirre, contrary to the DOJ chief’s allegation that he had tried to bribe him.
It was on November 27 that the pay-offs were reportedly made to the immigration commissioners, a day after the alleged meeting of Jack Lam and Sombero with Aguirre.
Lam left the country on November 29, but has already sent surrender feelers to the government after the Bureau of Immigration revoked his investor’s visa. (based on the report of Erwin Temperante, Eagle News Service)
