Sandigan rejects ex-cop’s plea to junk plunder raps in P50-M bribery case

Wenceslao “Wally” Sombero at the Senate hearing on the Jack Lam bribery case.
INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / LYN RILLON

The Sandiganbayan has rejected the motion of former police official Wally Sombero to junk the plunder charges hurled against him over the P50-million bribery scandal at the Bureau of Immigration (BI).

In an 11-page resolution, the anti-graft court’s Sixth Division denied Sombero’s motion to dismiss the charges against him for lack of merit.

In his motion, Sombero claimed that the charges against him do not constitute plunder since there was no “main plunderer” in the charge sheet filed by the Office of the Ombudsman.

But the Sandiganbayan pointed out the amended charge sheet has indicated that the “main plunderer” was former BI Deputy Commissioner Al Argosino.

Sombero also argued that plunder requires the public officer’s “amassing, accumulation and acquisition” of ill-gotten wealth be through a “series” or “combination” of “overt and criminal acts.”

The anti-graft court, however, stated that the charge sheet has alleged that accused Argosino and former BI Deputy Commissioner Michael Robles “repeatedly received or collected a sum of money on two instances.”

“Each instance of receiving or collecting a sum of money constitutes a separate act. Hence, the amended information (charge sheet) alleges the commission of acts in series.”

Argosino, Robles and Sombero are facing a count each for direct bribery, a violation of Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act before the Sandiganbayan. /jpv

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