Former Philippine police superintendent Wally Sombrero drew the ire of a Senate committee investigating his alleged role as a bagman for gaming operator Jack Lam.

Sombrero (pictured), who fled the Philippines on January 17 after being accused of assisting Lam’s alleged efforts to bribe local government officials, returned to the country on Tuesday. Sombrero had ignored three previous summons to appear before the Senate committee, and his testimony on Thursday did little to endear himself to Senators.

On November 26, surveillance video at the City of Dreams Manila casino observed Sombrero delivering paper bags containing P50m (US $1m) to two Bureau of Immigration officials – Al Argosino and Michael Robles – allegedly to obtain the release of some of the 1,300 Chinese workers who’d been arrested a few days earlier for working without permits at an illegal online gambling operation at Lam’s Fontana Casino in the Clark Freeport.

Right from the start, Sombrero irritated Senator Richard Gordon by claiming that “no extortion or bribery” took place at the casino, instead characterizing the handing over of the sacks of cash as “a payoff.” Gordon warned Sombrero to stop splitting hairs and “just tell the truth” or the committee would treat him as a hostile witness.