'Closer to the truth': Hontiveros says on Senate probe into Guo's POGO ties

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Risa Hontiveros said she believes the Senate investigation into the links of dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo to Philippine offshore gaming operations (POGO) and other illegal activities is about to end and that they are getting closer to the truth.

“Policy-wise, I want to share what we have achieved so far. We have managed to identify gaps in border control, the system of granting visas, law enforcement, and birth registration, and now the government agencies that operate in these aspects are having their own investigations,” the senator said.

Hontiveros, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality, added the joint committees also gathered information, which prompted the filing of criminal charges against several individuals.

“Our hearings have allowed us to craft an amendment – accepted and passed into law – to the Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act Law. We are also crafting amendments to the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act to add ‘forced criminality’ in the definition of human trafficking,” she added.

Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada warned Alice Guo that she “will live most of your adult life behind bars” as her convoluted testimonies earned the ire of Filipinos.

“Here we GUO again. It’s season 2 of ‘I don’t remember / I don’t know, your honor.’ Because of your lies, Alice, and your convoluted answers, you have really captured the annoyance of the Filipino people,” Estrada said.

“And we are far from over,” he said. “However, even if we get almost nothing from asking you (Alice Guo), and even if you mislead this committee with your answers, we will not stop here in the Senate because we know that the whole truth will come out in the end.” — Emmanuel Tupas, Marc Jayson Cayabyab, Daphne Galvez