As dismissed Bamban mayor names top POGO boss
Senators said their closed-door session with Alice Guo validated their earlier theory about the true puppet master who calls the shots for Philippine Overseas Gaming Operators (POGOs).
However, Senator Risa Hontiveros, who chairs the panel probing POGOs, said she continues to be dissatisfied with the outcome of Wednesday’s executive session, hinting that she wanted to squeeze more information from the disgraced ex-mayor during their private conversation.
“Hindi pa din ako masyadong satisfied sa mga pahayag sa Executive Session, bagama’t there was one crucial personality confirmed by Guo Hua Ping. This corroborates a theory that the Committee shared a month ago,” she said in a statement.
However, Hontiveros chose to keep the public none the wiser about the identity of POGOs’ “boss of bosses.”
For his part, Senator JV Ejercito opened the door for Guo to serve as a state witness, as she does not appear to be the POGO ring leader.
He also called the session with Guo outside of the media’s prying eyes and ears as just an “ice breaker.”
“Hopefully, we can get more information during subsequent executive sessions. Personally, I don’t believe that one such as Alice Guo is behind such an extensive international operation… there is an international crime syndicate behind this… Guo is only a pawn,” Ejercito said in Filipino.
The dismissed Bamban mayor earlier insisted she was not the mastermind behind the illegal POGO Bamban and agreed to reveal the identity of the one “most guilty” in an executive session with Senators.
Meanwhile, Hontiveros said she will also provide former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Benjamin Accorda, whose name was mentioned in the inquiry, along with other policemen to explain their association with top POGO personalities.
“Since photos of a former chief PNP and other PNP personalities with POGO personalities were shown, we deem it important to give them a platform to respond in the interest of fairness,” she wrote.
On Tuesday, Chinese businessman Yang Jian Xin, also known as Tony Yang, admitted to Senators his meetings with PNP top brass, as shown in the photos.
Yang said he and Sual, Pangasinan Mayor Liseldo Calugay also met with Accorda on a separate instance.
Meanwhile, Acorda admitted associating with known POGO personalities but said he did it for patriotic reasons.
“What I can only say is that I love my country and the PNP organization. I did what needs to be done as a Filipino and I fulfilled that duty as a police officer,” Acorda said in a cryptic statement.
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