Senate panel wants Lam ‘middleman’ cited for contempt

Wally Sombero. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/AIE BALAGTAS SEE

The Senate blue ribbon committee has recommended to cite Wally Sombero Jr. in contempt for “trying to avoid” its ongoing investigation into the alleged P50-million bribery scandal at the Bureau of Investigation.

“Contempt na yan,” Senator Richard Gordon, chairman of the committee, told reporters after conducting a five-hour hearing on Thursday.

It was Senator Leila de Lima during the hearing who moved to cite Sombero in contempt for his repeated failure to attend the inquiry.

READ: Lam ‘middleman’ may not attend 3rd Senate inquiry on BI bribery scandal

Gordon delayed his action on De Lima’s motion while waiting for Sombero’s medical certificate to support his claim that he had health problems, which were preventing him from attending the Senate probe.

READ: Lam ‘middleman’ seeks Senate security due to ‘threats’ to his life

But after the hearing, the committee chair announced his decision against Sombero, alleged middleman of gambling tycoon Jack Lam.

Gordon said he would write and recommend to Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III the contempt citation against Sombero.

The committee, he said, will also write and ask the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to revoke Sombero’s passport.

“We’re asking the DFA to revoke his passport so he’ll come back. That’s very severe ha because he can’t stay in a country without a passport,” he said.

“And the reason for that is we’ve been trying to get on touch with him, and we think that he’s really trying to avoid the processes of the Senate,” the senator added.

Sombero was the one who allegedly handed P50 million to two former immigration officials during a meeting last November 27 supposedly in exchange for the release of undocumented Chinese workers of Lam in Clark, Pampanga. RAM/rga