(Eagle News) – Controversial former police officer and alleged Jack Lam middleman, Wenceslao “Wally” Sombero is now back in the country, claiming that he did no wrong when he left even if there was an immigration lookout bulletin order (ILBO) against him.
In a press conference upon his arrival from Vancouver, Canada, Sombero said in the first place, any person who is the subject of an ILBO cannot be prevented from leaving, based on a decision issued by the Supreme Court.
“For me, (the immigration officer who let me leave) was only doing his job,” he said.
He added the officer might have been scared he (Sombero) would file charges if he was prevented from leaving.
He said he showed the officer a letter which was addressed to Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre, and which bore a “mark (tatak)” from the Department of Justice and the Bureau of Immigration.
He did not say what the contents of the letter were.
“(The immigration officer) read the letter (which said) Wenceslao Sombero. (The name written) in my ILBO was Wally Sombero,” he said, denying he bribed anyone to leave the country.
“Maybe in the Senate, this SC decision can be clarified. That’s why our immigration (officers in) counters become victims. This situation is not so clear,” Sombero added.
In the press conference, the former police officer also denied knowing Lam, saying he would go straight to jail if “anybody could prove that I am a middleman, or I know (Lam).”
Sombero left the country on Jan. 17.
The Senate blue ribbon committee had threatened to cite him in contempt after he missed the Feb. 9 hearing on the controversial P50 million alleged bribery/extortion involving two immigration associate commissioners. This was allegedly in exchange for the release of the businessman’s Chinese workers detained for their illegal stay in the country,
Sombero also did not attend the Jan. 23 and 31 hearings, saying he had to go to Singapore to have a medical checkup, but was later verified to have gone to Canada.
