Alice Guo's accountant ordered released from Senate detention

The Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality on Monday ordered the release of Nancy Gamo, the supposed accountant of suspended Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo, from detention.

Senator Robin Padilla moved for Gamo's release, which was eventually approved by Senator Risa Hontiveros, the chairperson of the committee.

"Madam Chair, tutal napaka-cooperative naman po niya sa atin, hinihingi ko po na sana po mapalaya siya sa kustodiya ng Senado. I so move, Madam Chair," Padilla said.

(Madam Chair, since she has been cooperating with us, I ask that she be released from Senate custody. I so move, Madam Chair.)

Before approving Padilla's motion, Hontiveros thanked Gamo for testifying before the committee, which was probing illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO).

"Ms. Nancy, nang may pasasalamat ng kumite sa inyong malaman at makatotohanan na pagsagot sa aming lahat ng mga tanong ay malaya na po kayo sa jurisdiction ng kumite," Hontiveros ruled.

(Miss Nancy, with gratitude from the committee for your truthful answers to our questions, you are now free.)

Gamo, in response, thanked the committee.

At the early part of the hearing, Gamo testified that she registered Guo's corporations way back in 2012, including the two POGO companies.

She said her work was freelance and there was no retainer agreement between them.

Gamo said Guo was lying when the mayor claimed not to know her.

"Sa isang pagdinig namin nu'ng pumupunta pa siya dito, flatly dineny niya na kakilala kayo. Sinabi niya na hindi kayo magkakilala. Anong masasabi niyo ho doon?" Senator Sherwin Gatchalian asked.

(At one of the hearings here she attended, she flatly denied knowing you. She said you did not know each other. What do you say to that?)

Gamo responded, "Nagsisinungaling po siya."

(She was lying.)

Meanwhile, the Senate has also lifted the contempt order against Dennis Cunanan after the latter appeared in today's investigation.

Cunanan, the authorized representative of POGOs in Bamban and Porac, said he only processed the POGO firms' applications as a consultant.

He admitted that he has spoken with suspended Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo.

Cunanan also testified that the individuals involved in the POGO firms in Bamban and Porac "know each other because they are in one area and they see each other."

Meanwhile, Cunanan denied allegations that he bagged Lucky South 99's six months worth of arrears to PAGCOR.

In the previous Senate hearing, PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro Tengco said he met with former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque and Cassandra Li Ong, the authorized representative of Lucky South 99, in his office in July 2023.

Tengco said Roque and Ong asked him to give the POGO firm a chance to pay their arrears for six months amounting to around US$500,000, which they already paid through Cunanan, but was not received by PAGCOR.

Ong was already subpoenaed by the Senate panel to testify in the investigation and corroborate the statements. However, Hontiveros said that Ong is already in Singapore.

Roque, meanwhile, on Monday objected to what he called "concerted efforts" to link him to POGOs. —KBK/BM, GMA Integrated News