Bamban POGO 'incorporators' urged to file complaint over alleged stolen identities

The Department of Justice on Friday called on the individuals named as incorporators of the POGO hub being linked to suspended Bamban Mayor Alice Guo, whose identities may have been stolen, to file complaints with the DOJ.

“Nananawagan kami sa kanila na tumulong sa kaso (we're calling on them to help the case),” Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) Chairperson Nicky Ty said in an ambush interview.

“Kung pwede, maghain ng sariling reklamo na fina-falsify o ginamit ‘yung kanilang identity or tumulong talaga sa imbestigasyon ng gobyerno laban doon sa mga nagpapatakbo ng illegal POGO na ito,” he added.

One of the so-called incorporators, Merly Joy Manalo Castro, was presented by Senator Risa Hontiveros during a Senate hearing. 

Castro denied she was a co-incorporator of the POGO hub known as Hongsheng Gaming Technology Inc., nor was she connected to the company.

Castro also said she knew three names among the co-incorporators listed by Hongsheng. One of them sells vegetables, the other one sells breakfast food, while the third sells chicken barbeque in a market in Concepcion.

Hontiveros noted that the TIN provided by Castro and the card submitted by Hongsheng were not the same, but the signatures looked similar.

Castro, for her part, said the signature presented by Hongsheng was fake.

Meanwhile, Ty appealed to these individuals to appear and file their counter affidavits on the human trafficking complaint against them before the DOJ.

“Yung mga respondents na nag sabi na nadiwit lang sila, nananawagan ako na kailangan kayo magpakita dito, ha? Kailangan kayo sumagot, dahil kung hindi kayo sumagot, baka makasuhan kayo,” Ty said.

(The respondents who said they were falsely implicated, I am calling on you to come to the DOJ. You need to answer the charges against you because if you don’t, you may be charged.)

“Hndi sa Senado yung proper venue upang mahain ‘yung depensa niyo,” he added.

(The Senate is not the proper venue to present your defense.)

Ty was interviewed following the first preliminary hearing on the complaint filed against Guo, Castro, and other individuals at the Justice Department.

According to Ty, Guo and the other respondents did not personally attend the hearing.

Ty said they were given 15 days to file their counter-affidavits.

“Kung gusto nilang mag file ng counter affidavits, kailangan silang magpakita dito… Kailangan siya magpakita. Hindi tatanggapin ang kanyang counter affidavit kung hindi siya personally nag appear dito at sumumpa sa harapan ng piskal,” Ty said.

(They need to appear here if they want to file a counter-affidavit. She needs to appear. Her counter-affidavit will not be accepted if she does not personally appear and take an oath before the prosecutors.)

Should the respondents not appear, Ty said their right to file a counter-affidavit may be waived.

Meanwhile, Ty said that the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission planned to file additional affidavits.

Overt act

On the part of Gou’s camp, Atty. Alex Avisado said there was no evidence against Guo.

“Tignan ninyo ang ebidensya against Mayor Alice Guo, papel. Bill ng kuryente, letter of no objection, articles of incorporation. Itong mga dokumentong ito, hindi enough to commit the crime of human trafficking. There must be an overt act,” Avisado said in a separate interview.

(Look at the evidence against Mayor Alice Guo, it’s just paper. An electricity bill, a letter of no objection, articles of incorporation. These documents are not enough to commit the crime of human trafficking. There must be an overt act.)

“So itong kasong ito na finile against her, mahina. With all due respect, mahina. Medyo pilit po talaga,” he added.

(So, this case against her is weak. With all due respect, it’s weak. It’s forced.) — DVM, GMA Integrated News