Over POGO operations in Lapu-Lapu City: Cop chiefs relieved   

CEBU, Philippines — Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos has ordered the relief of the heads of the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office (LCPO) and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)-7, as well as others at Police Regional Office (PRO-7) for their inability to detect the presence of the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) in Barangay Agus that was raided last Aug. 31.

This, as Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard "Ahong" Chan and the local police assured that they are cooperating in the investigation being made on their possible involvement in the POGO operation.

“With the task force already in place and the investigation underway, the city government is also conducting its own investigation, and we will cooperate,” Chan said, in a statement.

Led by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), the raid of Tourist Garden Hotel in Agus resulted in the rescue of almost 200 foreign nationals and the succeeding seizure of several equipment and gadgets believed to be also used in committing scams.

Yesterday, Abalos, just a few hours from a foreign trip, told The Freeman that he ordered the relief of a few police officials while the investigation of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) is ongoing.

“Yung chief of police ng Lapu-Lapu, pina-relieve ha…. Actually, ngayon lang siya pina-relieve. Nailipat na siya sa ibang division ng PRO-7. So, relieved siya. Yung position niya, dati kasi, siya ang chief of police ng Lapu-Lapu (City), napunta sya sa chief of staff ng PRO-7. Relieved na siya ngayon,” he said.

“Tapos yung itong CIDG region 7, ni-relieve din. Kasi napunta na sa national CIDG. Pinatanggal din.  Tapos yong R2 ng region (PRO) 7, relieved din. Iniimbestigan nang maigi yung iba pa,” he added.

Abalos said the he is taking swift action on the matter, but assured that the investigation would be fair to all concerned.

“Para lang alam mo, immediate ang action dito… iniimbestigan naming lahat ng ito sa DILG and itong sa PNP, itong mga ito, relieved kaagad,” he said.

He had disclosed in an earlier interview that he already issued memorandum creating a task force to investigate the possible involvement of local officials of Lapu-Lapu City as well as of the city police and others in the POGO’s operations.

Abalos said the memorandum circular indicated that a thorough investigation should be done.

The names of the affected police officials, however, were unavailable as of press time last night.

Earlier, an ID of Shouqi Zhao, who is one of those arrested during the raid of the illegal POGO, showed that he is a Lapu-Lapu City Government’s consultant on Chinese business promotions and the ID was signed by the mayor. The ID was reportedly found at at Tourist Garden Hotel during the search conducted by the law enforcers.

Chan, however, Chan dismissed the ID as a fake.

“Gusto lang nako ipahibalo sa tanan nga dakong FAKE ang nakumpiska nga ID ni Mr. Zhao sulod sa Tourist Garden Hotel. Sa panahon karon, dali ra kaayo ang pagpeke og ID. Makaya gani sa uban ang paghimo og peke nga driver’s license o bisan passport nga duol ra kaayu sa original maong ang ID ni Mr. Zhao dakong fake ug dili kini gikan sa City Hall,” he said, in a Facebook post.

Chan also denied that Zhao is a city government consultant.

“Walay kamatuoran nga usa siya ka consultant. Dili ang maong ID ang sukdanan sa iyang kompirmasyon sa iyang pagka-consultant. Gani, di sad mi mohatag og ID sa mga consultant sa City Hall, certification ra ang among ihatag. Para mamahimo sab kag consultant, kinahanglan pa sab nga moagi og makuti nga proseso sama sa BAC (Bids and Awards Committee) ug muagi pa sab sa pagtuki sa atong Konseho o sa Sangguniang Panlungsod,” he said.

Another photo circulated on social media wherein Chan was with Zhao, who was shown wearing the same ID.

The mayor also dismissed this, saying it is easy to edit pictures nowadays, adding that politics maybe behind the circulation of this photo, considering that the elections are already drawing near.

Chan, however, admitted to have meet Zhao in 2019 and thanked him for his computer donations to the city.

Police Reaction

On the other hand, Lapu-Lapu City Police Office (LCPO) spokesperson Christian Torres yesterday said they welcome any investigation in relation to the recent raid of an illegal POGO in Barangay Agus.

In fact, he said, they are already preparing all the documents to be submitted to their regional office with regards to the explanation on the alleged POGO operation in their area of responsibility.

Torres said there is an ongoing investigation being done against LCPO City Intelligence Unit head PCol. Dindo Juanito Alaras and PMajor Judith Besas, Marigondon police chief, in relation to the same illegal operation.

Torres said Alaras and Besas were already relieved from their respective post on Sept. 11, 2024.

To recall, in a joint operation, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)-7, Bureau of Investigation-7, Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the Philippine Center on Transnational Crime (PCTC), and the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT), raided Tourist Garden Hotel on August 31, 2024.

The NBI has already filed a complaint before the Department of Justice for qualified trafficking in persons against 16 foreign nationals as well as one Filipino as an accessory to the said crime.

NBI-7 Director Renan Augustus Oliva, in an earlier interview, said that the 168 foreign nationals, including Filipino Zandrew Magdaluyo Cantarona, were already brought to the Presidential Anti-Crime Operation Commission for their physical custody or detention on September 4, 2024.

On the same day, Executive Secretary and Presidential Anti-Crime Operation Commission Chairperson Lucas Bersamin issued a directive for the country’s Anti-Money Laundering Council on the freezing and preservation of assets of the illegal POGO/scam farm at the hotel. -  RHM (CEBU NEWS)