Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros on Monday, May 27 rejected speculations that the ongoing Senate investigation into Bamban Mayor Alice Guo’s links to illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) activities in Tarlac is an attack on the Filipino-Chinese community.
“This is not an attack on Filipinos of Chinese heritage. My own maternal great-grandmother was pure Chinese. The revelations about Mayor Alice Guo came out after evidence of her complicity in POGO-related crimes. At ang ibang ebidensya galing mismo sa kanyang mga salita (And the other evidences itself came from her),” Hontiveros said in a statement.
“Marami nang ebidensya ang nalikom laban sa mga POGO sa huling walong hearing ng aking komite (There have been so many evidences that we have gathered against POGOs in the past eight hearings in our committee). Among these is the proliferation of fake identification documents from PhilHealth IDs to passports,” she pointed out.
“This just shows how Chinese POGO syndicates have managed to obtain fraudulent Filipino identities through corrupt individuals in our government agencies. At ang Malala kay (what is worse with) Mayor Guo, she is a public servant,” the senator emphasized.
Hontiveros issued the statement after civic leader Teresita Ang-See accused the Senate panel of getting sidetracked in its investigations into the POGO industry.
“I am not against the Senate investigating Guo. However, something which originated from concerns about POGO got sidetracked and had become ridiculous zarzuela and the POGO investigation disappeared from the scene,” Ang-See said in a separate statement.
“This kind of witchhunt and personal attacks are way below decency and reflects badly on the dignity of the Senate. With their budget, shouldn’t the Senate do their background investigation first? What has her alleged boyfriend, her luxurious lifestyle, her ability or inability to speak Hokkien and Mandarin have to do with her being Filipino or not?” she pointed out.
“Our Constitution recognizes those born of Filipino mothers as Filipino citizens. Huwag naman sanang mangyari na isang araw ang mga (I hope it doesn’t happen that one day the) Yaps, Cuas, Coseteng, Gatchalian, Tans, Dys at iba pang Tsinoy na may lahing Tsino at may (and other Chinese and those with Chinese heritage and carry) monosyllabic surnames ay maging puntirya din ng mga ganyang pagdududa dahil sa pulitika (would be targeted for similar doubts due to politics),” she added.
Hontiveros, however, debunked these claims, noting that the mayor herself has been accused of being involved in hacking and surveillance activities.
“Considering China’s aggressive influence operations around the world, it would be remiss of the Senate not to look into this angle,” she said.
“Marami pang gustong ibunyag ang ilang government agencies tungkol sa POGOs, na kanilang gagawin sa executive session bago ang susunod na public hearing (Some government agencies are still eager to shed more light about POGOs, that they will do only in an executive session before the next public hearing),” Hontiveros said.
“Sa gitna ng lahat ng ito, inuulit ko ang paalala ko na hindi kailanman magiging katanggap-tanggap ang racism, xenophobia at Sinophobia (In the midst of this, I remind everyone that racism, xenophobia and Sinophobia would never be acceptable),” she said.
Regardless of heritage, the lawmaker said all law-abiding citizens should not be the subject of hate and discrimination.
“This is not a witch hunt. This is not about politics. This is about national security, criminal activities, accountability in public service, the rights and welfare of women and children, and the structural failure of our system to regulate POGO as a business model,” Hontiveros stressed.