Gatchalian backs executive session on ex-PNP chief’s POGO ties

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian is willing to support calls for an executive session to get details about a former chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) allegedly on the payroll of illegal Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGO).

Gatchalian, one of the senators actively investigating the POGO links of dismissed Bamban mayor Alice Guo, noted that the information divulged by Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) senior vice president and retired Brig. Gen. Raul Villanueva, during the recent Senate hearing, was “very raw” and needed more supporting details.

“In the hearing, General Villanueva also said that the information is still being validated. So, for me, the information is still raw. It is still very raw. It is very important to get more details and information. This is a serious accusation,” the senator said in an interview over dzBB.

“Even if it has to be an executive session, the Senate will allow it because it has a national security aspect to it. It is important for Villanueva to give details and names. The entire PNP is being defiled,” Gatchalian pointed out.

During the continuation of the Senate’s public hearing on POGO-related crimes, Sen. Risa Hontiveros asked Villanueva about the possibility that government officials may have helped Guo escape in exchange for money.

“Apart from that general detail, which is P200 million (given) to a high Bureau of Immigration official, are there other people who were allegedly bribed? Are there additional amounts being discussed?” Hontiveros asked.

“There was talk about border immigration. I just don’t know, ma’am, the exact amount, including PNP officials. But I still can’t confirm that as I’ve been outside of the loop lately,” Villanueva said, citing raw reports from the intelligence community.

Gatchalian said the target output of the Senate investigations is legislative proposals to create more laws to prevent illegal activities from happening again and motivating government agencies to file charges.

“This started in Bamban. There was money laundering, human trafficking, and the committee told the agencies to look carefully and that’s what was done. Many birth certificates were found to be defective so this is the output of the hearing,” he noted.

Gatchalian also pointed out that Guo, who played a major part in the Bamban POGO, should be immediately transferred to a regular jail. At present, she is detained at the PNP Custodial Center.

“In this particular case, a Pasig court wants to transfer her to Pasig City Jail, and I agree with that because we cannot give special treatment. It is important she be transferred to a regular jail,” he said. The PNP earlier said Guo is expected to be transferred to the Pasig City Jail today.

Sen. Risa Hontiveros, for her part, said that while Guo has the right to post bail, she will still have to face investigation, including the non-bailable offense of human trafficking charges.

“Although she has the right to bail, the investigation is still ongoing. Nothing will change,” Hontiveros said in a text message.

“She is still facing non-bailable human trafficking charges. So, until her innocence is proven in court, she will remain in prison,” she added.

The senator pointed out that Guo’s presence in Congressional hearings will also continue because she is currently in contempt in the Senate and the House.

On Friday, Guo posted bail of P540,000 for graft before the Valenzuela Court, her counsel, Stephen David, said.

However, the arraignment did not proceed due to a pending motion to quash, which is a legal strategy that challenges the validity of the complaints against Guo.

On Mayor Liseldo Calugay of Sual, Pangasinan, who is a rumored boyfriend of Guo, Gatchalian said he personally has not seen any documents that link the local chief executive to the POGO hub in Bamban, But the senator said they would continue looking closely if Calugay had played any role in Guo’s escape.

Guo and her supposed siblings, Sheila Guo and Wesley Guo, escaped in mid-July, and both Alice and Sheila claimed they used a small boat before transferring to two other boats on their way to Malaysia.

The Guo sisters were arrested in separate instances in Jakarta, Indonesia before they were brought back to the Philippines. Sheila is now under Senate custody. — Mark Ernest Villeza