Gatchalian: Alice Guo has links with people seen in raided Porac POGO hub

Suspended Bamban Mayor Alice Guo has ties with people who were seen in the raided Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) hub in Porac, Pampanga, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said on Monday.

"Based sa mga information, meron siyang koneksyon dito. Hindi lang namin masabi pa 'yung details [dahil] ongoing [ang investigation]. Pero based sa mga information, may koneksyon siya dito sa POGO hub through the partners at sa mga kausap niya," Gatchalian said in a press conference after he inspected the raided POGO hub in Porac.

(Based on the information we gathered, she has connections in this. We just cannot divulge get the details as the investigation is ongoing. But based on the information, she has connections in this POGO hub through the partners and the people she is talking with.)

The lawmaker refused to divulge details as to whether Guo was involved in the operations of the POGO hub in Porac.

"Ang masasagot ko lang 'yung mga kausap n'yang tao nakita rin dito sa POGO hub na ito (All I can say is the people she is talking with were also seen in this POGO hub). That's the link that we are referring to," he said.

GMA News Online reached out to Guo's lawyer Stephen David, but he said, "It is difficult to [c]omment on mere hearsay."

Gatchalian, who earlier called for the total ban on POGOs, is also convinced that the raided POGO hubs in Porac and Bamban are connected, noting that both facilities were constructed during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Base rin sa mga information, itong POGO hub na ito mayroon ring links don sa Bamban POGO hub... Hindi lang namin masabi ngayon kung ano ang detalye ng links pero definitely may links 'to sa POGO hub sa Bamban at POGO hubs dito, at sa iba pang POGO hub," he said.

(Our information is this POGO hub has links with the one in Bambam. We just cannot say the details of the link but definitely there is a link between the POGO hubs in Porac, Bamban, and others locations.)

"Ang impormasyon namin, itong mga sindikato, marami silang pinapatayo na ganito sa ating bansa. Hindi lang isa ito, marami sila. Iba-iba 'yung partner nila, iba-iba 'yung kasama nila, iba-iba 'yung kausap nila pero 'yung mga mastermind pare-pareho. So hindi lang namin masabi ngayon dahil under investigation pa rin pero so far yun ang nakikita natin," he added.

(Based on our information, the syndicate built several buildings like this in different parts of the country. They have different partners, They are talking with different people but the mastermind is the same.)

For Gatchalian, these pieces of information would refute justifications that there are legal and illegal POGOs in the country.

"Walang legal at ilegal dahil 'yung mastermind nasa legal at ilegal eh, 'yung ulo sa lahat ng POGO hub, iba-iba lang 'yung mga kausap at partners at meron na rin kaming ebidensya na magpapatunay n'yan," he said.

(There is no more distinction between legal and illegal POGO because the mastermind is already involved in both.)

According to Gatchalian, there are foreign and Filipino "masterminds" in the POGO operations.

The Filipinos who are allegedly involved in these operations are "mostly" private individuals.—AOL, GMA Integrated News