The Office of the Ombudsman recently dismissed all charges against retired Police General Charles Calima, Jr., who previously served as Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOPPO) director, along with Bureau of Immigration (BI) intelligence officer, in connection with an alleged attempt to release 1,316 Chinese detainees in exchange for a cash payment.

Calima was initially charged alongside BI Deputy Commissioners Al C. Argosino and Michael B. Robles, Asian Gaming Service Provider Association, Inc. President Wenceslao A. Sombero, Jr., and Jimei International Entertainment Group Limited Executive Director Jack Lam; however, the motion for reconsideration applied only to the former NOPPO chief.

“I have done my job as a law enforcer,” he affirmed.

Calima added, the decision affirmed his belief of the “fairness and objectivity of our Ombudsman.”

According to the retired police officer, Argosino and Robles delivered two paper bags containing P18 million to him on December 9, 2016, which he said was immediately reported to BI Commissioner Jaime Morente. Calima said his actions were “purely counter intelligence operations.”/DGB, WDJ