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'At the level of tsismis': Pimentel shrugs off allegation of ex-PNP chief on POGO payroll

Philippines | National

'At the level of tsismis': Pimentel shrugs off allegation of ex-PNP chief on POGO payroll

By Dhel Nazario

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III shrugged off the claim that a former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief was on the payroll of illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators’ (POGO) bosses.

Retired Gen. Raul Villanueva, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) senior vice president and head of the security and monitoring cluster, said that the former PNP chief “is on the take” from dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Leal Guo, as well as other members of the uniformed personnel.

He said this during the hearing of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality into illegal POGOs headed by Senator Risa Hontiveros.

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.

"I heard what he said. It is only at the level of tsismis (hearsay)," he said in a text message to reporters.

"Hence I don’t want to dwell too much on it," he added.

Aside from this Villanueva also disclosed that the unidentified former PNP chief supposedly helped dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Leal Guo escape the Philippines at the height of the Senate’s investigation into POGOs.

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.

Related Tags

Philippine National Police (PNP) Senate Minority Leader Aquilino â€œKokoâ€ Pimentel III Senator Ronald Bato dela Rosa Senator Risa Hontiveros Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs)

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