Graft charges vs 3 former BI commissioners

State prosecutors have formally charged three former Bureau of Immigration (BI) commissioners before the Sandiganbayan for allegedly letting go of a convicted American bomb maker who avoided serving his sentence in 2005.

Former acting BI Commissioner Teodoro Delarmente faces two counts of violating Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act over separate instances of giving unwarranted benefits to US national Vo Van Duc.

Former associate commissioner Jose Cabochan and acting associate commissioner Roy Almoro face one count of graft violation each.

Other accused former officers facing one count of graft are: executive assistant and chief of staff Alejandro Fernandez, legal aide Richard Perez, civil security unit acting chief Wendy Rosario, detention center acting warden Noel Espinoza and security escort Marcelino Agana.

Prosecutors said Delarmente, Cabochan, Almoro, Fernandez and Perez approved and issued Summary Deportation Order AFF-05-043, dated May 5, 2005, in favor of Duc.

This allowed Duc, an inmate at the BI Detention Center, to “leave the Philippines and effectively avoid service of his sentence,” the charge sheet said.

Duc had been sentenced by the Pasig City Regional Trial Court to imprisonment of four years and two months to a maximum of six years for violating Section 4 of Republic Act No. 8294, which prohibits the illegal manufacture of explosives.