Chinese linked to Lapu-Lapu POGO hub admits offering PAOCC P1 million

A Chinese man who has been linked to a raided illegal POGO hub in Lapu-Lapu City in Cebu acknowledged that he attempted to give P1 million to the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) for a "separate arrangement" for his wife and granddaughter.

At the continuation of the Senate probe into illegal POGOs on Tuesday, Senator Risa Hontiveros asked Zhao Shouqui about the supposed attempt to bribe PAOCC officials that she said was caught on camera.

Through a translator as he was speaking Chinese, Zhao denied that it was a bribe.

"This sum of money is not actually a bribe. Because what I wanted was, remember I came there after they were caught and then when I came there, my 70-year-old wife was there and her body was weak, also my granddaughter was also there. What I wanted to do, because my wife, her body is weak, I want to have a separate arrangement for my wife and my granddaughter," Zhao said as translated.

According to Zhao, the money amounted to P1 million and it came from his son.

Hontiveros was not convinced that it was not a bribe.

"Still, that's what we call a bribe, offering money to Philippine government personnel—who are perfectly capable na maging humanitarian sa isang senior citizen or isang minor [of being humanitarian to a senior citizen or a minor]—in exchange for special consideration," she said.

This position was echoed by PAOCC spokesperson Winston Casio.

"There is no other way to interpret that because they attempted three times," he said.

Asked if he tried to bribe other government officials before, Zhao said he has never offered a bribe in the past.

He said he only sponsored some of their activities and donated computers or food.

Zhao also told the committee that he was "not aware" that there was a POGO business in the compound in Lapu-Lapu City.

He said he only rented out three rooms, or a total 290 square meters, for P1.5 million.

Earlier this month, PAOCC conducted a raid on a gated compound in Lapu-Lapu City where they found some 150 foreigners, most of whom had been at the raided POGO hub in Porac, Pampanga. — BM, GMA Integrated News