A former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief supposedly helped dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Leal Guo escape the Philippines at the height of the Senate’s investigation into the illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO).
Retired Gen. Raul Villanueva, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) senior vice president and head of the security and monitoring cluster, said this information is now being validated by the agency, aside from the information that the embattled former mayor bribed a Bureau of Immigration (BI official with P200 million to help her escape from the country.
At the continuation of the Senate probe, Villanueva said they were not just looking into the information that Guo may have bribed government officials, but other personalities as well, including a former PNP chief.
“Actually ma'am, we haven't confirmed yet kung talagang may mga usap-usapan po (if there were talks) within the intelligence community. Pero wala pa pong (But there are still no) confirmation ma'am kung may mga witnesses na mayroon talagang nabigyan (if there are witnesses that there were people bribed). But yan ang usap-usapan ngayon (But that is now being discussed). They're still validating it, ma'am,” Villanueva said in response to Sen. Risa Hontiveros’ question.
Hontiveros is head of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality that is leading the Upper Chamber’s investigation into illegal POGOs.
“May pinag-uusapan na yung sa border immigration. Hindi ko lang alam (I just don’t know), ma'am, yung (the) exact amount, including PNP officials…Because, I'm outside of the loop lately, ma'am. Because we're busy right now helping the law enforcement agencies running after the illegal POGOs in the countryside or in the provinces,” he said.
When asked if it was a PNP unit, Villanueva answered in the negative, saying it was actually PNP personalities.
“I think it was mentioned the former chief PNP…I don’t know (which one), but (allegedly) a former chief PNP,” Villanueva added.
Furthermore, the PAGCOR official divulged information that the said former PNP chief “is on the take” from Guo, as well as other members of the uniformed personnel.
“Yes, ma'am. Pero hindi ko din ma-ascertain yan, ma'am, kung kanino galing yung report (I can’t ascertain that information where the report came from). It's just parang rumors lang within the intelligence community. I think they are validating it right now. I even went to NICA (National Intelligence Coordinating Agency) last week, but there's no information about it, ma'am,” he said.
“Ang parang usapan dun (they were talking) ma'am, (about) yung parang nasa payroll, yung monthly payroll ever since,” he pointed out.
Police Brig. Gen. Raul Tacaca, PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Deputy Director for Administration, said they are also in the process of validating information about PNP officials—former or incumbent—who are involved in illegal POGO operations.
“For the part of the PNP, so far po wala po kaming (we don’t have) report with regards po kung may mga nasuhulan na PNP personnel (if there were PNP personnel who were bribed,” Tacaca told the Senate panel.
“But despite that po ay yung aming (our) intelligence community ay tuloy tuloy po ang kanilang pag-coordinate sa ibang agencies para malaman kung may mga PNP personnel na involved din (continues to coordinate with other agencies to find if there are PNP personnel also involved). We will file the necessary case po kung may mga evidence po aming makukuha (if we have sufficient evidence against them),” he said.
Villanueva also confirmed that PMaj. Gen. Romeo Caramat, Jr. acting area police commander of PNP-North Luzon, “is part of the information.”
“Yung information, parang may tinabi lang sila sa CIDG pero walang specific name na General Caramat, ma'am (they linked somebody from the CIDG but they did not specify the name of General Caramat),” he told Hontiveros.
Not me—Bato Dela Rosa
During the hearing, Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, asked Villanueva if the alleged former PNP chief who is supposedly in the payroll of Guo was him.
Dela Rosa, a former PNP chief turned senator, said it was imperative for him to clear his name, stating he is not involved in any POGO operation.
“Your honor, I don’t have any confirmation but I’m sure you're not the one,” Villanueva told the senator.
“Thank you, thank you if I’m not the one. Yun lang siniguro ko lang (I just wanted to make sure). Thank you Gen. Villanueva. Thank you for that info (information),” he said.
Prior to this Dela Rosa grilled Guo and asked her if she had taken any photos with him as a senator or even before he became one.
Guo responded that she has never taken a “selfie” with the lawmaker and said she has never met him in person.
Sual Mayor denies relationship with Guo
In his first appearance in the hearing, Sual Mayor Liseldo Calugay denied having a romantic relationship with Alice Guo and insisted that they were only friends.
Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada and Hontiveros pressed Calugay regarding the true nature of their relationship by presenting photos of them together in social gatherings, even wearing matching t-shirts.
"Your honor, marami naman pong magkakaparehas na damit (Your Honor, there are many who wear the same shirt)," Calugay said.
For instance, Hontiveros showed a photo of Guo attending a victory caravan of Calugay when he won as mayor in 2022. There is also one photo with the official seal of Sual that showed Calugay wearing a pink t-shirt bearing the name of Guo.
When asked by Estrada, he said that he only invited Guo because he was invited by her first.
"Bakit nga kayo ang pinili ni Guo Hua Ping na bigyan ng ganyang t-shirt kahit na nasa ibang probinsiya kayo at imbitahin o dumalo sa victory caravan ninyo. At bakit siya yung napili niyo na isuot yung campaign t-shirt niya at imbitahin sa caravan ninyo nung victory parade? (Why did Guo Hua Ping choose you to give that kind of t-shirt, even though you're from a different province, and invite or join your victory caravan? And why did you choose him to wear his campaign t-shirt and invite him to join your caravan during or the victory parade?" Hontiveros asked.
Calugay said that he only wore that shirt as pajamas. Hontiveros again asked about their closeness, if it's enough for their staffs to work together. She was referring to Guo's secretaries Gee Pepito and Cath Salazar and Cheryl Medina, Executive Assistant III of the Local Government of Sual.
"Hindi naman po your honor, magkaibigan lang po talaga (It's nothing like that, your honor, we're just friends)," he said.
Hontiveros said that she doesn't care if the two of them have a romantic relationship and that they're more interested in the possibility of their criminal relationship.
"Wala po akong pakialam kung meron man kayong romantic relationship. Wala po akong pakialam doon, we are interested in the possibility of your criminal relationship. Kaya inuna na namin yung mga tanong na ang dali sanang sagutin nang totoo sa mga litratong iyon (I don't care if you have a romantic relationship or not. We're not interested in that; we're looking into the possibility of a criminal connection. That's why we're prioritizing the questions that can be easily answered truthfully based on those photos)," she said.
"Ang pinaka interes ko po ay kung may sabwatan kayong dalawa para sa 'kadiliman at kasamaan' (My greatest concern is whether the two of you are in collusion for 'darkness and evil'). I want to explain my keen interest in your relations with Guo Hua Ping," she added.
Calugay denied having any business ventures with Guo whether it was something that they planned in the past or not.
Probe banks involvement in creation of POGO hubs
Meanwhile, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian has urged the Senate to investigate the possible involvement of banks in the construction and establishment of POGOs in the country.
In filing Senate Resolution No. 1193, Gatchalian called for an inquiry in aid of legislation on banks’ apparent failure to flag suspicious POGO-related transactions, saying the ongoing Senate investigations on POGO-related activities revealed the existence of bank transactions involving companies owned by Guo.
The amount involved in these illegal operations involves hundreds of millions of pesos and which enabled the construction and establishment of the POGO hub in Bamban, Tarlac.
The amount involved is far beyond the financial capacity of the companies as indicated in their financial statements, Gatchalian noted.
“A remarkable surge in cash flows, check disbursements, and a number of transactions involving the said Guo accounts was highest in 2020 which was highly unusual and suspicious considering that the Covid-19 pandemic paralyzed businesses and economies worldwide,” Gatchalian said.
The senator also noted that the transactions involved significant amounts of money but were not flagged by concerned banks and financial institutions.
“The failure of these banks to report these dubious transactions raises the matter of the effectiveness of their internal controls and procedures for identifying and reporting suspicious transactions,” he said.
Gatchalian lamented that the Philippines remains on the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) grey list because of this.
“Our country needs to enhance its anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing activities. The private sector’s support and compliance are crucial to strengthening the country’s AML-CTF regime, including increased adherence with AMF-CTF obligations,” he stressed.
Calugay's business relationship with Alice Guo
Also during the hearing, Estrada confronted Calugay about the Alisel Aqua Farm, the supposed business in Pangasinan which Guo and Calugay owned but is under the name of Shiela Guo, Alice’s sister. Guo denied having any involvement with Alisel Farm.
According to the Sual mayor, he had it investigated to determine if it was operational or had any permit to operate, and based on their investigation, it's non-operational.
But Estrada showed photos that Alisel Aqua Farm exists and is still operating.
"Ito maliwanag na maliwanag (It's very clear that this is) Alisel Aqua Farm and it's still operational," Estrada said.
Calugay still insisted that it's not in operation based on the results of their investigation.
"Pictures don't lie," Estrada retorted.
Estrada then brought up another business named Happy Penguin Resort owned by a certain Veronica Soriano located also in Sual. It turns out that the land where the resort was built was previously owned by Calugay before he sold it on July 15, 2024.
Calugay told Estrada that he sold it because he was strapped for cash during the time. Hontiveros also mentioned that a resolution was just issued granting authority to operate the resort on July 9.
The senator later moved to subpoena Soriano to appear before the next hearing.
Estrada teased Calugay that he must have sold the property when issues surrounding Guo had started to come out. He later presented a receipt containing materials used to build the resort, that were purchased under Calugay's name.
"Yung mga materyales for the construction of Happy Penguin Resort. So inaamin mo talaga, sa'yo yung lupa pero di mo inaamin sa'yo yung resort. Ganun ba? (The materials are for the construction of the Happy Penguin Resort. So, you're admitting that the land belongs to you, but not the resort. Is that right?)" Estrada said.
Calugay stated that the materials were ordered by his live-in partner whom he refused to name.
At this juncture, Hontiveros showed a different set of receipts which purchased materials from the same supplier under Calugay's name for 3LIN-Q Farm, one of Guo's several businesses dated Dec. 9, 2022. There was also a receipt that showed purchased materials also for 3LIN-Q Farm under Guo's name dated Oct. 17, 2022.
Estrada and Hontiveros then asked both Calugay and Guo why the Sual mayor's name was in the receipt.
"Hindi po ako nagbayad niyan, madam chair. Ang kwento po niyan, tumawag po si Mayor Alice kung saan po makakabili ng murang mga construction supply kasi po ang family business po namin ay construction supply (I didn't pay for that, Madam Chair. The story is, Mayor Alice called to ask where to buy cheap construction supplies because our family business is construction supplies)," Calugay said.
"Mayroon kaming pinagkukunan na kung maari po, dun na lang po kayo kumuha. Kaya sabi ko kay ate Che, kayo na lang po mag-usap para makadiscount po sila (We have a source where you can get it if you want, you can just get it from there. That's why I told Ate Che that you should talk to them directly so they can give you a discount)," he added.
Estrada expressed his belief that based on the story of Shiela Guo, they fled the Philippines by sea and may have left through the port near the resort, judging by the length of time it took them to get to the “small white boat.”
During her testimony, Shiela told Senate probers that from Bulacan, they traveled about five hours before reaching a port where they boarded a small white boat. Shiela said they boarded at least three vessels, a small white boat, a bigger vessel, and another smaller boat before reaching Malaysia.