Alice Guo confirmed theory on 'crucial personality' during closed session —Hontiveros

Dismissed Mayor Alice Guo corroborated a Senate panel's theory involving a "crucial personality" in the operations of illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) in the country during Tuesday's executive session, Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros said Wednesday.

"Hindi pa [r]in ako masyadong satisfied sa mga pahayag sa Executive Session, bagama't there was one crucial personality confirmed by Guo Hua Ping," Hontiveros said in a statement, referring to Guo's Chinese name.

(I'm still not fully satisfied with the statements delivered during the Executive Session, although one key individual was confirmed by Guo Hua Ping.)

"This corroborates a theory that the Committee shared a month ago," Hontiveros said.

Although Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada was not able to attend the closed session, he said Guo had disclosed to the senators details on the same person whose name she wrote on a piece of paper when asked in an earlier hearing to identify the person who helped her escape the Philippines.

"Wala naman masyadong vital information na isiniwalat si Alice Guo. Yung pinalista kong pangalan sa papel, 'yun pa rin," Estrada said in an interview on Dobol B TV, relaying information from senators who attended the executive session.

(There was no vital information that was disclosed by Alice Guo. She only mentioned the same name of the person which she wrote on the paper before.)

Asked if Guo had identified the "most guilty" in the closed door session, Estrada said, "'Yun pa rin, 'yung sinulat sa papel."

(It is still the same person whose name she wrote on paper.)

In a press conference, Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa said the executive session with Guo was not a waste.

"Hindi nasayang 'yung executive session. Meron kaming nakuha," Dela Rosa, who attended the closed session, said.

(The executive session was not a waste. We gained something from it.)

However, he refused to give information from the closed session since this could not be divulged due to the Senate rules. It is up to the Senate committee to disclose the information collected from the executive session.

"Meron siyang sinabing pangalan pero hindi natin pwede sabihin dito," Dela Rosa said.

(She mentioned a name but we can't mention it here.)

Senator JV Ejercito, who was also present in the executive session, said it was an "icebreaker."

"Hopefully, may mga info pa na makukuha sa mga susunod na executive session. Panimula pa lang kasi ['yung executive session] nag-[plenary] session time na," Ejercito said.

(We hope to gather more information in the upcoming executive sessions. It's just the beginning because we had the executive session a few minutes before the plenary session's time.)

"Personally, hindi ako naniniwala na isang Alice Guo ang nasa likuran ng ganitong operasyon kundi isang inetrnational crime syndicate at pawn o front lamang si Guo," he shared.

(Personally, I don't believe that someone like Alice Guo is the mastermind behind such an operation, but rather an international crime syndicate, with Guo merely being a pawn or a front.)

On Tuesday, the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality conducted an executive session with Guo to allow her to divulge details that she refused to disclose during the public hearing.

During Tuesday's public hearing, Guo said she is not the "mastermind" in the POGO operations in Bamban, Tarlac where she used to serve as mayor, and described herself as "just a victim."

Asked if she is willing to name the "most guilty" individual, Guo said, "Yes po, your honor." 

The executive session only lasted for several minutes and will continue next week.

Tony Yang

Meanwhile, Hontiveros, who leads the Senate investigation into the illegal POGOs, said they are eyeing to hear the side of Philippine National Police (PNP) officers, including one former national police chief, regarding the photos with Chinese businessman Tony Yang that were shown during the hearing.

Tony Yang is the brother of Michael Yang, an economic adviser during the Duterte administration.

The former PNP chief that Hontiveros was referring to is retired Police General Benjamin Acorda Jr. who has photos with Yang when he was still the regional director of PNP Region 10.

Apart from Acorda, Hontiveros also showed photos of Yang with retired General Lawrence Coop, former Regional Director for Northern Mindanao; Colonel Lemuel Gonda, Chief of the Regional Cybercrime Unit for Northern Mindanao; Colonel Aaron Mandia, former Cagayan City police director.

Senators believe Tony Yang is a key figure in the POGO hub in Bamban that is being linked to Guo.

Guo who is facing graft and trafficking cases, as well as money laundering. She is currently detained at the Pasig City Jail Female Dormitory. —KBK/RF, GMA Integrated News