Senator asks: Was ex-CIDG chief Caramat out of Bamban raid due to POGO ties?

Was former Criminal Investigation Detection Group (CIDG) chief Police Major General Romeo Caramat Jr. excluded in the March 2024 raid on the POGO hub in Bamban, Tarlac due to his possible involvement in its operations?

Senator Joel Villanueva confronted Caramat with this question at the continuation of the Senate investigation into illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hubs.

Villanueva noted that then-PNP chief Benjamin Acorda and the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission did not inform the former CIDG chief on the government operations against Zun Yuan Technology Inc. in Bamban.

According to Caramat, he was designated as the director of CIDG when the first raid in Bamban happened. This was in February 2023.

However, Caramat said he was not informed of the second raid that the PAOCC and some CIDG personnel conducted in March this year.

"I was... on leave. That's the reason why maybe I was not informed of the second raid in the POGO in Bamban," Caramat said.

He added that he was only informed about the operations when he arrived from vacation about three to four days after the raid.

"To be honest, I was upset why I was not informed. It was a slap on my face as the director of the CIDG and they used my men in that raid and they didn't bother to inform me," Caramat said.

"I understand my men that they are just following orders from the chief PNP so I helped them in their investigation... I confronted the chief PNP why he didn't inform me of that raid," he added.

Left out?

Caramat said he doesn't know "the wisdom of the chief PNP and the PAOCC" on why he was left out of the March 2024 operations on the POGO hub in Bamban.

This prompted Villanueva to ask if Caramat's fellow law enforcers might be suspecting that he has links with the operations of the Bamban POGO hub.

"Maybe you're on leave or maybe it is because merong pangamba sa inyo that you were part of this. Is that something that you thought about, sir?" Villanueva asked.

(Maybe you're on leave or maybe it is because there were apprehensions that you were part of this. Is that something that you thought about, sir?)

Caramat, in response, said, "I told the former chief PNP, 'If he doesn't trust me, he could immediately relieve me as director of the CIDG.' I confronted the former chief PNP, 'Kung wala ka nang tiwala sa akin, alisin mo na ako (If you don't trust me, remove me from my post).'"

Villanueva still pressed Caramat and asked, "When you confronted him, did he mention na kaya 'di ka in-inform is because you might be part of this?"

(When you confronted him, did he mention that you weren't informed because you might be part of this.)

"Ang sabi niya lang, nawala sa isip niya dahil 'nasa leave ka naman so hindi ko na alam,''" Caramat said.

(He just said, it slipped his mind because I was on leave so I don't know anymore.)

Search warrant

The senator also asked Caramat if he advised PAOCC not to apply for a search warrant for Zun Yuan, to which the former CIDG chief said he is "not aware of the information."

"May mga binanggit before na when it comes to issuing search warrant mayroong advice... from CIDG, I don't know who it is, advised them not to apply for a search warrant to raid Zun Yuan POGO in Bamban," Villanueva said.

(It was mentioned before that when it comes to issuing search warrants, the CIDG issues an advice. I don't know who it is, I advised them not to apply for a search warrant to raid Zun Yuan POGO in Bamban.)

"Wala pong ganyan, sir, at hindi ko po under ang PAOCC. So ang director ng CIDG has no power, no reason to dictate the PAOCC," Caramat answered.

(There was none of that, sir. The PAOCC is not under my supervision. So the CIDG has no power, no reason to dictate orders on the PAOCC.)

Old boss

Villanueva then asked Caramat about his ties with JP Samson, one of the persons who is being linked to dismissed Bamban mayor Alice Guo, noting that there was a picture of the two together.

According to Caramat, Samson was introduced to him as "JP Baliwag" and the photo where they were seen together was "the first time" that he saw him.

"That was the first time I saw that guy," Caramat said when asked if they have business interests together.

Senator Risa Hontiveros also asked Caramat about his relationship with Sual, Pangasinan Mayor Liseldo "Dong" Calugay, who was suspected to be Guo's boyfriend.

Caramat disclosed that he knew Calugay for over 10 years as they were "assigned in the same police provincial office in Lingayen, Pangasinan."

"Hindi pa 'yan mayor kakilala ko na po... Mga 10 years, I think, or maybe more (I've known him for a long time... Around 10 years, I think)," Caramat said.

Calugay confirmed this, adding that he knew Caramat as his "superior."

"Hindi naman po kami nagkasama sa isang opisina pero na-assign po ako ng provincial police office (We didn't work in the same office, but I was assigned in the provincial police office)," Calugay said, referring to police provincial office in Lingayen, Pangasinan.

This prompted Hontiveros to ask if Caramat knew Guo.

"Hindi ko po alam, madam chair (I do not know, madam chair)," Calugay responded.

According to Calugay, they did not talk about Guo and he did not introduce Guo to Caramat.

A former PNP chief

In the middle of the continuation of the Senate investigation into illegal POGOs, PAGCOR Senior Vice President Raul Villanueva, a retired general and former commander at the Intelligence Services Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP), said there were reports being validated that a former PNP chief was involved in Guo's escape and is rumored to be part of Guo's "monthly payroll."

In his testimony, Villanueva said Caramat is "part of the information" but he is not sure of the reports.

"I'm not really sure kung 'yun ang narinig ko. He is part of the information. Hindi ko masyadong sigurado. Wala naman kaming formal communication with most of the intelligence officers. One or two lang ang bumanggit sa akin," he said.

(I'm not really sure if that was what I heard. He is part of the information. I am not sure. I have no formal communication with most of the intelligence officers. I have only spoken with one or two.)

"'Yung information... parang may sinabi lang sila sa CIDG pero walang specific name na General Caramat, ma'am," he added.

(They mentioned someone in the CIDG but General Caramat was not specifically named.)

Caramat said he has no information on the alleged former PNP chief who was bribed to help Guo escape the country.

"I haven't got any information regarding that matter," Caramat said. — VDV, GMA Integrated News