Former Bureau of Immigration deputy commissioner Al Argosino broke down during the Senate Blue Ribbon committee hearing on Tuesday while explaning his side on the bribery/extortion case involving gambling tycoon Jack Lam.

During the hearing, Argosino repeatedly denied asking Lam aide Wally Sombero for a bribe. This, despite CCTV footage showing Argosino, ex-deputy commissioner Michael Robles and another aide accepting bags of money after an an overnight meeting at the City of Dreams in Parañaque City last November 26.

In his testimony, Argosino said he never held the bags of cash offered by Sombero.

"Hindi ko hinawakan. Kung may pagkakamali ako ay pumayag akong mailagay ito sa aking kotse. Pero sinabi ko nga ho sa kaniya (Robles) habang nasa elevator kami: 'Sige, nandiyan na yan. Kunin natin ebidensya,'" he told senators before breaking down.

Argosino urged the senators to listen to his side, saying he returned the money as evidence so that charges of corruption of a public official could be filed against Lam.

"Walang nag fa file kay Jack Lam. Sana naman po, your Honor, pakinggan niyo kung ano yung ginagawa namin. Nandiyan na ho yung CCTV. Ayan na ho kung paano nangyari pero not once po ako humingi ng pera. This is a corruption of a public official. Walang nag fa-file kay Jack Lam ng corruption of public official," he said.

ABS-CBN News, January 31, 2017