PAOCC to look into alleged burial site of foreigners near Porac POGO hub

The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) will look into the alleged burial site of foreign nationals near the raided Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) firm in Porac, Pampanga.

Interviewed on Super Radyo dzBB, PAOCC spokesperson Dr. Winston Casio said that their witnesses tipped them about the burial site near the Lucky South 99.

“Nag a-apply kami ngayon ng panibagong search warrant doon sa compound ng Lucky South 99 dahil ‘yung aming mga witnesses na nakuha, mga bagong witnesses, may itinuturong mga lugar kung saan daw inilibing ang mga patay na katawan ng ilang mga foreign national,” Casio said.

(We are now applying for a new search warrant for the compound of Lucky South 99 because our new witnesses are pointing to a location where they claim the bodies of several deceased foreign nationals were buried.)

Casio said they will apply for the warrant within this week.

According to Casio, they already visited the area last week after being guided by the witnesses.

“Pinuntahan namin last week at itinuro nila. Kaya lang sabi namin… huwag tayo mag hukay. Kumbaga, kahit nasa atin na ‘yung custody, wag tayong mag hukay, kumuha tayo ng warrant,” he said.

(We visited last week and they pointed it out to us. However, we said... let's not dig. Even if we already have custody, let's not dig, let's get a warrant instead.)

Authorities raided the POGO hub in June, rescuing around 158 Chinese, Vietnamese, and Malaysian nationals.

They also discovered evidence of torture and kidnapping from inside the 10-hectare compound.

Sual Mayor

Meanwhile, Casio said they are also looking into the alleged ties of Sual, Pangasinan Mayor Liseldo “Dong” Calugay to dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo.

“Subject na rin po ng imbestigasyon ngayon nung aming task group (that is subject to the investigation of our task group),” PAOCC spokesperson Dr. Winston Casio.

He issued the remark when asked if PAOCC is investigating the supposed links between the two as well as possible POGO hubs in Sual.

According to Casio, the task group is composed of prosecutors, financial investigators of the Anti-Money Laundering Council, the National Bureau of Investigation, the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, and PAOCC.

“Dahil sa paulit-ulit na nababanggit ang pangalan naging person of interest. Kaya ‘yung isang komponent ng grupo tinitignan na rin po kung meron kaming sapat para maging actionable at maidulog namin in a formal investigation,” he said.

(Because the name keeps being mentioned, he has become a person of interest. So, one component of the group is studying if it could be actionable and formally log it in an investigation.)

GMA News Online has sought comment from Calugay on Facebook but has yet to receive a response as of posting time.

During Monday’s Senate hearing, Guo insisted that she has no romantic relationship with Calugay, saying that they are “friends.”

Calugay has designated Vice Mayor John Christopher Arcinue as acting mayor from September 9 to September 13 due to [his] ongoing medical concerns.”

He was unable to attend a Senate hearing on September 5 due to dengue. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News