“Guo was paying the ex-PNP chief”

September 18, 2024 Philippines Crime & Legal

A former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief was allegedly on the payroll of Alice Guo, the dismissed mayor of Bamban, Tarlac, according to an official from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) during a Senate inquiry on Tuesday.

Raul Villanueva, Pagcor’s senior vice president for security and monitoring, testified at the Senate investigation into illegal Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) in Tarlac. He shared that rumors circulating in the intelligence community suggested that this ex-PNP chief assisted Guo in fleeing the country in July.

Villanueva, a former military general, disclosed this when Senator Risa Hontiveros, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality, asked if high-ranking officials had aided Guo’s escape. Villanueva noted that the speculation involved not only immigration officers but also PNP officials.

“I don’t have the name, but there are rumors in the intelligence community that a former PNP chief was involved. The community is still verifying this,” Villanueva said in both Filipino and English.

However, he clarified that he couldn’t confirm the details because he had not been involved in the investigation lately due to his focus on helping law enforcement crack down on illegal POGOs.

When Senator Hontiveros asked which PNP unit might be involved, Villanueva responded, “It’s not a PNP unit, ma’am, but certain individuals.” He further added that a former PNP chief was mentioned but did not know which one, in a report published by the Manila Times.

Senator Joel Villanueva expressed serious concern about the possibility of a former PNP chief being involved in Guo’s payroll, emphasizing the gravity of the matter.

In another revelation, Guo admitted to signing an affidavit on August 14, even though she had already left the country by then. This led to speculation that her lawyers were aware of her escape plan. On August 16, Guo’s legal team submitted a counter-affidavit to the Department of Justice regarding a human trafficking complaint against her.

Guo, believed to be a Chinese national named Guo Hua Ping, fled with her siblings to Sabah, Malaysia, amid the Senate investigation into human trafficking linked to POGOs in Tarlac and Pampanga. The Guo sisters, along with their business associate Cassandra Ong, were later apprehended in Indonesia.

During the same Senate hearing, Sual, Pangasinan Mayor Liseldo Calugay refuted rumors that he was both a romantic and business partner of Guo. He also denied any involvement in notarizing Guo’s affidavit after she had fled the country.

Throughout the proceedings, Alice Guo continued to invoke her right to remain silent, prompting frustration from the senators. Meanwhile, Cassandra Ong, arrested in Indonesia alongside Shiela Guo, made her first appearance at the hearing. Ong denied knowing Duan Ren Wu, a fugitive allegedly connected to the illegal POGO firm Lucky South 99 in Porac, Pampanga, though she acknowledged him as her godfather.

At the start of the hearing, Senator Hontiveros expressed confidence that the inquiry was nearing its conclusion, noting the Senate committee had identified gaps in border control, visa issuance, law enforcement, and birth registration. These findings, she said, were already prompting action from government agencies.

Additionally, Hontiveros highlighted that the hearings had led to amendments to the Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act (AFASA), allowing for the use of seized assets for victim protection even before cases are finalized.