Duterte orders arrest of Lam for bribery try

PNP Chief Ronald Dela Rosa. Photo by RICHARD A. REYES/Philippine Daily Inquirer

President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the arrest of gaming tycoon Jack Lam, Philippine National Police Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa said on Saturday.

“I am calling on anyone who has information on the whereabouts of  Jack Lam or whether they have seen Jack Lam, the online gaming operator at Fontana, Clark. He is a Chinese national. Just give the information to your nearest police station,” Dela Rosa told dzMM radio.

Dela Rosa said Mr. Duterte wanted Lam arrested for bribery and economic sabotage, but said no formal charges have been filed against him.

“We will look for a way to enforce the President’s orders. We will take full responsibility if we will be charged with illegal arrest as long as we have a basis (to arrest him),” Dela Rosa said.

Raymond Fortun, Lam’s Philippine lawyer, was not immediately available for comment. He had earlier denied allegations of bribery.

A joint team of the Bureau of Immigration and the Special Action Force conducted a raid on Fontana’s illegal online gaming operations on Nov. 24 and arrested 1,316 Chinese national illegals working in the multibillion peso business conducted inside the villas.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II earlier said Lam, through his representative, former policeman Wally Sombero,  attempted to bribe him in a meeting at the Shangri-La hotel at The Fort two days after the arrest of the illegal Chinese workers.

Although the President has only named Lam in his arrest order, Dela Rosa said that Sombero would also be arrested if he was spotted by the police.

Aside from ordering the arrest, the President also moved to shut down Lam’s casinos in the country.