Foreigner arrested in Benguet linked to Porac POGO

MANILA, Philippines — One of the foreigners arrested in an exclusive subdivision in Tuba, Benguet was a financier and operator of several scam farms, including the raided Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGO) hub in Porac, Pampanga, according to the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission.

PAOCC executive director Undersecretary Gilbert Cruz said Sun Liming, who introduced himself as Cambodian national Khuon Moeurn, is connected with the operations of Lucky South 99, an illegal POGO in Porac which was raided by law enforcement agencies due to human trafficking and other illegal activities.

“He has been identified as a financier and operator of several scam farms in the country, one of which is the raided Porac scam hub,” Cruz said in a message on Viber.

Sun and Chinese woman Wang Keping, 35, were arrested by agents of PAOCC and the Bureau of Immigration (BI) intelligence division on Saturday.

Cruz said Sun created Liming.com, a financial platform which he and his cohorts use in duping investors by claiming they had multiple contracts from the government of China.

By the time the scam was discovered last July 2023, Sun’s group had already defrauded 7.09 billion yuan from their victims.

Sun then escaped to the Philippines and used another identity in carrying out his nefarious activities.

‘Embarrassing’

Law enforcement agencies, including the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), should be ashamed for their failure to arrest Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo and others on orders of the Senate, which Senate President Francis Escudero described as “embarrassing.”

Escudero said law enforcement agencies failed to locate Guo, or Chinese national Guo Hua Ping, whom the BI confirmed is still in the country.

“My answer is yes, it’s a shame for the PNP not to be able to do this (locate Guo), especially since they are still in the country according to the BI,” Escudero told Senate reporters.

But while he admitted that the issue on the law agencies’ budget will be tackled during the national budget deliberations, Escudero disagreed with the possibility of slashing the PNP and NBI budgets for 2025 for their failure to arrest certain individuals.

Sen. Jinggoy Estrada earlier threatened to cut the budgets of the PNP and the NBI next year if they fail to find Guo.

In response, the PNP assured the Senate that their manhunt operations are ongoing to apprehend Guo.

“The PNP is doing everything within our powers and authority to bring Mayor Alice Guo and others to the jurisdiction ng Senate,” PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said at a news briefing.

Comelec probe

The Commission on Elections’ fact-finding committee tasked to look into Guo’s election documents is expected to come out with their recommendation within the week, according to Comelec Chairman George Garcia.

Should it be found that Guo violated election laws, the suspended mayor faces another arrest warrant, Garcia said. He noted that a warrant of arrest can be issued against Guo once Comelec files a criminal complaint against her before the regional trial court.

“Per determination of a possible criminal case, the Commission will file the case in court. The court issues a warrant of arrest in all criminal proceedings,” Garcia said at a press briefing yesterday.

He, however, clarified that the election offense charge is bailable.

Garcia headed a team of poll officials who went to Tarlac yesterday to determine if Guo’s fingerprints on the Election Day computerized voters list will match the fingerprint from the NBI, which previously found to be the same as Chinese national Guo Hua Ping.

If the evidence warrants, the Comelec will order the law department to conduct a preliminary investigation.

Garcia, however, stressed that the Commission would give Guo due process and allow her to answer the findings against her.

Benguet house

There were reports that former presidential spokesman Harry Roque owned the house at the high-end Pinewoods Subdivision in Tuba, Benguet that was raided last Saturday. Roque clarified that he owned some shares in a company linked to a firm that owns the house. He said he had also stayed in the house in the past.

A veteran government intelligence official said that years ago, Roque’s wife Myla was even the homeowners’ club vice president.

A quick look at the Pinewoods Homeowners Association social media page indicated the Roques as owners of the house at Lot 37, Block 23, Cedar St., Pinewoods Golf and Country Club Subdivision. Even a supposed registration form for election of homeowners’ officials in April 2024 indicated the email addresses of Roque and his wife.

A vehicular accident on June 3 that involved Yun Wan, 35, indicated that she was staying at that same address. Tuba policemen were reportedly berated by Roque’s wife when investigators tried to probe the vehicular incident that involved Wan’s black Hyundai Tucson (plate number CCC 3120) against a contractor.

Photographs obtained by authorities also showed that the Roques owned the house.

Roque’s neighborhood had recently petitioned the homeowners’ association on the presence of two cows at the controversial house. — Cecille Suerte Felipe, Artemio Dumlao, Mayen Jaymalin, Marc Jayson Cayabyab