Lucky South 99's Baterna: I only issued gate passes

BACOLOR, Pampanga - Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator Lucky South 99’s documented corporate secretary, Ronalyn Baterna, said on Friday that she only served the POGO firm by issuing gate passes.

“Hindi po talaga ako corporate secretary. Ang trabaho ko po doon is sa gate pass lang po, nag-i-issue lang po ako ng gate pass sa may main gate,”  said Baterna, who was earlier cited in contempt for her unresponsive answers to the ongoing House probe on POGO-linked crimes.

Authorities raided the Lucky South 99 in Porac, Pampanga over allegations illegal activities, such as torture and scam farms, were taking place at the POGO compound.

Later, however, Baterna admitted that she also issued checks to Lucky  South 99 clients and that the largest check she issued was worth P500,000.

Asked where she gets the money for check issuances, Baterna replied, “It is not my money.”

“It’s from Cassandra Ong po,” Baterna said, referring to the authorized representative of Lucky South 99 who had yet to show up before the House investigation.

Other documented officials of  Lucky South 99 - its President Julian Linsangan III, Treasurer Edwin Ang, and Director Marion Ryan Chua - said that their signatures were forged to make them appear as legitimate Lucky South 99  officials.

Meanwhile, the four House committees that were jointly investigating illegal POGOs issued show cause orders against POGO-linked individuals, including former Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque's  former aide AR dela Serna.

Roque had assisted Lucky South 99 reapply for a license and settle its arrears.

Abang Lingkod party-list lawmaker Joseph Stephen Paduano, chair of the House Committee on Public Accounts, moved for the issuance of the show cause orders.

Aside from dela Serna, whose name appeared in Lucky South 99 documents like  Roque, other individuals who were ordered to explain their absence  during the House probe were:

• Acting Mayor Eraño Timbang and various department heads from Bamban, Tarlac,
• Hongsheng Gaming Technology Inc. officials such as Thelma Laranan and Yu Zheng Can,
• Incorporators of Baofu Land Corporation, including dismissed Bamban Mayor Alice Leal Guo and Bernard Chua,
• Lucky South 99 Outsourcing Inc. and Lucky South 99 Corp. officials, including President Julian Linsangan III,
• incorporators of Whirlwind Corp., such as Josefina Mascarenas and Duanren Wu, and
• incorporators of Biancham Holdings and Trading Inc.

— DVM, GMA Integrated News