Former police officer Wally Sombero is in no position to clear Justice Secretary Aguirre II from the P50-million Bureau of Immigration (BI) bribery scandal being the “central figure” in the controversy, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV said Wednesday.
Trillanes said the Commission on Appointments (CA) committee on judicial and bar council should suspend consideration of Aguirre’s appointment pending the Senate blue ribbon committee investigation on the controversy.
“Ginagamit si Sombero to clear Secretary Aguirre eh sino ba si Mr. Sombero in this mess? Di ba siya yung central figure? So who is he to say na ‘ikaw ang kasama, ikaw ang clear, ikaw hindi’?” Trillanes said.
“It doesn’t have any value at all kasi siya yung sangkot dyan. Bakit siya yung tatanungin nati kung sinong guilty o hindi?” the senator added.
Sombero is alleged to be the middleman of Chinese gambling tycoon Jack Lam, who supposedly tried to bribe two BI deputy commissioners in exchange for the release of illegal Chinese workers arrested in Clark, Pampanga.
The two BI deputy commissioners – Al Argosino and Michael Robles – have since been dismissed from their posts.
Sombero arrived from Vancouver, Canada Tuesday morning and vowed to tell all at the resumption of the blue ribbon committee investigation scheduled Thursday.
Upon his arrival, Sombero ‘cleared’ Aguirre of any involvement in the controversy.
“For the record, I have no knowledge of any connection or links that the Secretary is involved in this extortion scandal,” Sombero told reporters.
Trillanes insinuated during the Senate hearing on January 23 that Aguirre tasked Argosino to deal with Lam’s group on his behalf during a meeting at a Taguig City hotel.
Trillanes said he will subject Sombero to “scrutiny by interrogation” during Thursday’s hearing.
“Sinasabi ko naman, right from the very start, marami pang butas yung storya. Until matapos yung investigation, doon lang natin makikita yung kabuuan,” Trillanes said. — RSJ, GMA News
SOURCE: GMA NEWS
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