Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Tuesday called on suspended Bamban Mayor Alice Guo to reveal the main figures behind illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) in the country.
“I urge Alice Guo to come forward and cooperate with authorities and expose the main players of illegal and criminal offshore gaming operations,” Gatchalian said in a GMA Integrated News report.
The Office of the Solicitor General is preparing to file legal action against Guo for her potential connections to a POGO hub involved in various illegal activities, including scams and human trafficking.
The National Bureau of Investigation earlier revealed that Guo shares fingerprints with Guo Hua Ping, a Chinese passport holder. “Ngayon at maliwanag na ang tunay niyang pagkakakilanlan, patong-patong na kaso ang maaaring isampa laban sa kanya dahil sa kanyang pagsisinungaling at panlilinlang, kaya mas mainam na magsalita na siya,” Gatchalian stated.
In addition to these allegations, Guo is facing graft charges filed by the Department of Interior and Local Government. Despite this, she has repeatedly denied being a Chinese citizen, asserting her Filipino heritage from a Chinese father and a Filipino mother. Her lawyer also denied her involvement with Guo Hua Ping.
Meanwhile, House Dangerous Drugs Panel Chairperson and Surigao del Norte lawmaker Ace Barbers urged President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to address the issue of illegal POGOs.
“It is about time we stop allowing POGOs considering that this is illegal in their country (China). Why are we allowing this in our country? Dapat magkaroon tayo ng matibay na posisyon rito,” Barbers said in a press conference.
Barbers argued that the economic benefits of POGOs do not outweigh the social costs, citing crimes such as kidnapping, extortion, bribery, and corruption. “As for revenues, economic benefits that we are supposedly getting from POGO, we should remember that social costs are much higher because of kidnapping, extortion, bribery, and corruption,” he added.