Press Release
January 23, 2017

Villanueva's opening remarks during the Blue Ribbon probe on BI bribery scandal

Mr. Chairman, at the outset, I would like to put on record that on December 7, 2016, the Labor Committee conducted an inquiry on the arrest of illegal Chinese workers in Clark, Pampanga pursuant to Senate Resolution No. 243.

In my opening statement, I narrated the events surrounding the presence of "illegal foreign workers" in Fontana from the time the Bureau of Immigration conducted the arrest on November 24, 2016 up to the time these Chinese nationals were allowed to post bail on December 5, 2016. I also stressed the alleged incident on bribery at BGC in Taguig involving Mr. Jack Lam. Our goal, primarily, was to look into the presence of illegal foreign workers in Fontana and of course, to identify policy loopholes.

In that hearing, Mr. Chairman, former Associate Commissioner of the Bureau of Immigration, Attorney Al Argosino, was present as one of the resource persons.

Kaya noong pumutok itong isyu na may 50-million bribery attempt, kahit pa nauna nang humarap sa Committee on Labor si Atty. Argosino, naghintay po kami ng iyong tamang komite, itong Blue Ribbon, ang mag-pursue ng imbestigasyon. Ito rin po ang dahilan kung bakit dumalo tayo ngayon sa motu propio inquiry na ito; unang-una para mabanggit na rin ang ilang findings ng Committee on Labor.

Sa hearing namin noong December 7, binigyan ko po ng pagkakataon si Atty. Argosino na magpaliwanag tungkol sa pag-aresto sa mga Chinese nationals. Dalawang beses ko rin po syang tinanong - and the record will bear me out, kung na-establish ba nila na illegal workers or "working without permits" iyong mga Chinese nationals.

Dalawang beses din niyang kinonfirm na "working without permits" nga iyong karamihan sa 1,173 na nahuli at na-check na mga Chinese workers. Mula sa 1,173 na nandoon sa loob ng Clark, 612 ang may tourist visas but without work permits, 95 ang overstaying, 91 ang walang kahit anong dokumento man lang kahit na passport, 235 ang may working visas para sa Subic-Clark ecozone at 140 ang may CEZA work visas.

Ang tanong ko po ngayon, Mr. Chairman, na-establish na pala nila na illegal workers nga iyong mga inaresto nila sa Fontana. Eh 'di wala nang dahilan para noong araw din na iyon ay sabihin niyang sinuhulan siya o nasa kanila ni Mr. Robles ang bribe money, o kaya na may "covert operation" sila.

Ano ang point ko Mr. Chairman?

Malinaw po na itinago nitong si Atty Argosino sa atin iyong impormasyon. He withheld very important information, thinking, probably, that this information won't come out. Kasi, na-establish na nilang illegal workers o working without permits nga, kaya ba malakas ang loob nilang tanggapin iyong bribe money?

Ang problema Mr. Chairman, nang humarap itong si Atty. Argosino sa amin - andun po sina Senator Binay at Senator Gatchalian, hawak na pala nila ang bribe money.

Ang tanong ko pa po: Alam ba ng superiors niya itong entrapment operation nila? O baka sila lang talaga ang nakakaalam ng "ops" na ito at nagpapalusot lang sila? Kasi po noong na-pressure lang sila, pagkatapos ng anim na araw, noong December 13, saka lang isinurender iyong bribe money.

Mr. Chairman, harap-harapan pong nagsinungaling si Atty. Argosino sa komite noong December 7.

Una, hindi niya inilahad ang buong katotohanan sa kung paano niya nalaman na mayroong iligal na operasyon doon sa loob ng Fontana. May binanggit lamang siyang nakatanggap siya ng "intel," subalit hindi niya inilahad kung sino at paano niya nakalap ang "intel" na iyon.

Pangalawa, hawak-hawak na pala niya ang 50 million na natanggap niya mula kay Jack Lam at Wally Sombero nung humarap siya sa amin nina Senator Binay at Senator Gatchalian, at hindi naman niya nabanggit ang pagkakaroon ng "entrapment" sa harap namin.

Panghuli, noong press conference nila noong December 13, ipinamukha pa niyang bida ang sarili niya na ginawa nila ito alang-alang sa kagustuhang sugpuin ang korapsyon sa loob ng Bureau of Immigration.

I therefore express my agitation and indignation at Atty. Argosino's actions and failure to disclose this information at the time that he had already received the 50 million from Jack Lam and Wally Sombero.

I would like to manifest my absolute disgust at what he did and we are contemplating and exploring our options, such as considering filing contempt charges against him. This representation believes that he is liable of perjury for having provided false statements through withholding information from the Senate.

Kaya paalala po ito sa ating mga resource persons: kung andito kayo para magtago lang ng impormasyon o pagtakpan ang inyong mga kasamahan, hindi po ako mag-aatubili na i-cite kayo in contempt.

Hindi ako papayag na maulit muli ito: na harap-harapan mayroong sinungaling na susubukan tayong isahan dito sa Senado.

Mr. Chairman, I think this investigation is crucial because it will also shed light on several issues surrounding the issuance of visa or working permits to foreign nationals.

Napaka-importante po nito Mr. Chairman dahil taon-taon, nagbibigay tayo ng humigit kumulang 23,000 Alien Employment Permits. Mula 2011 hanggang 2015, nasa 113,000 foreign nationals na ang nabigyan ng AEPs and Chinese nationals would acount for about 26%.

Iyon pong kumpanya na Next Games Outsourcing Link, kung saan inaresto iyong mga foreign nationals, may 1,546 na foreign workers at imagine, labing-isa lang ang Filipino workers, dehado at kawawa po talaga ang ating mga kababayan dito dahil nananakawan sila ng oportunidad na makapag-trabaho dito sa bansa

Mahalaga ding maalala na kahit na ang DOLE lamang ang puwede magbigay ng AEP o alien employment permit, ang Bureau of Immigration ay maaari ding magbigay ng special working permit. Liban pa diyan, ang mga economic zones ay maaari ding magbigay ng kani-kanilang permit o visa para magtrabaho sa loob ng Pilipinas.

Mr. Chairman, itong arrest po na ito sa loob ng Clark ay pinakamalaki sa kasaysayan ng ahensya ng Bureau of Immigration. Kung may ganito kalaking accomplishment, mangunguna po talaga tayo para i-commend sila. Kaya nga po pinuri ko pa noon si Atty. Argosino "for a job well done", iyon pala may itinatago siya sa amin at tumanggap pala siya ng bribe money.

Why am I raising these issues and findings of the Committee on Labor, Mr. Chairman? Because for as long as there are coordinative issues or dilemma between DOLE, the Bureau of Immigration and our ecozones, there will always be chance that a corruption scandal like this ay magsu-surface.

I believe Mr. Chairman, that whatever findings your committee will have at the end of the day will complement our pending investigation in the Labor Committee.

Maraming salamat po.

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