Plunder trial of ex-immigration exec to proceed

The antigraft court Sandiganbayan will put former Deputy Immigration Commissioner Michael Robles on trial for plunder after denying his plea to either dismiss the case or have it reinvestigated.

In a 16-page resolution dated May 31, the court’s Sixth Division affirmed that Ombudsman prosecutors complied with the requirements for trial.

Like former Deputy Immigration Commissioner Al Argosino, Robles argued that the charge sheet did not comply with the requirements of a plunder case — a “series of overt or criminal acts.”

But the court said Argosino and Robles received the P50-million alleged payoff in two installments.

“Each instance of receiving or collecting a sum of money constitutes a separate act,” read the court resolution penned by Associate Justice Sarah Jane T. Fernandez.

Argosino and Robles would remain in detention at Camp Bagong Diwa pending their trial. —Vince F. Nonato