INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
President Duterte did not violate the law when he ordered the Philippine National Police to immediately arrest Chinese gambling tycoon Jack Lam without an arrest warrant, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said Sunday.
In a mobile phone interview, Aguirre said Lam could be held in violation of the country’s immigration law for “coddling” undocumented Chinese nationals who were working at his online casino at Fontana Leisure Parks and Casino at Clark Freeport in Pampanga.
He said the casino operator might also be arrested for economic sabotage for his failure to pay correct taxes to the national government.
“(Lam) could be arrested… for coddling illegal aliens and giving support to them. He let them (undocumented Chinese nationals) at his Fontana resort,” Aguirre told the INQUIRER.
“You don’t need an arrest warrant in effecting arrest due to violation of our immigration laws,” he said.
Arresting individuals for engaging in economic sabotage also did not require arrest warrant because “it has continuing effects.”
“Committing the crime of economic sabotage does not end. As long as you’re doing economic sabotage, you will be a subject of arrest,” the justice secretary said.
“Committing the crime of economic sabotage does not end. As long as you’re doing economic sabotage, you will be a subject of arrest,” the justice secretary said.
Aguirre said Lam and his representative, retired police Senior Supt. Wally Sombero, had tried to bribe him with P100 million a month in exchange for protecting his illegal online gambling operations which were being manned by illegal Chinese tourists.
PNP chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa said the President instructed him to arrest Lam for trying to pay Aguirre off and for economic sabotage./rga
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