Sen. Risa Hontiveros (Bibo Nueva España/Senate PRIB)
MANILA, Philippines — A former government official convicted in a pork barrel scam will be invited to a Senate hearing, this time for his alleged involvement with illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (Pogos).
On Monday, Senator Risa Hontiveros bared documents showing that former Technology and Resource Center (TRC) Deputy Director General Dennis Cunanan acted as an “authorized representative” for two Pogo firms: Hongsheng Gaming Technology in Bamban, Tarlac, and Lucky South 99 Limited Inc. in Porac, Pampanga.
Cunanan signed as Lucky South 99 ‘s authorized representative in a letter dated October 20, 2020, to then-Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) chair Andrea Domingo.
The Pogo firm was raided by authorities on June 4 following reports it was being used for human trafficking.
READ: Pampanga Pogo linked to scams, trafficking; 186 rescued in raid
Cunanan’s name was also mentioned as one of two designated authorized representatives of Hongsheng in a letter of its president and chief executive officer, Thelma Barrago Laranan, to Domingo, dated September 10, 2020.
The company was raided by authorities in February 2023 for allegedly running a fraudulent cryptocurrency investment operation.
READ: CIDG raids Pogo firm in Tarlac; rounds up 850 foreign, Filipino employees
“Cunanan figured in one of the largest corruption scandals our country has ever seen. Baka yung ginawa niya sa PDAF (Priority Development Assistance Fund) ay ina-apply niya rin dito sa mga Pogo,” Hontiveros said in a statement.
(Cunanan figured in one of the largest corruption scandals our country has ever seen. Maybe he was also applying to Pogos what he did in the PDAF)
The former official was sentenced to a 26-year jail term for his involvement in the PDAF scam.
“Pinapakita din nito na may koneksyon talaga ang Bamban at Porac na Pogo. Tila nagsama-sama silang mga scammer,” the senator added.
(This also shows that there really is a connection between the Pogos in Bamban and Porac. It seems that all the scammers gathered together.)
To clarify his connection to the two Pogo firms, Hontiveros said Cunanan would be invited to the next Senate committee hearing on women.
Document released by the office of Senator Risa Hontiveros
Document released by the office of Senator Risa Hontiveros
As head of the committee, the senator has led the panel’s probe into alleged criminal activities linked to Pogos.
“We will invite Mr. Cunanan to the next hearing to clarify his involvement. If there is Pogo, it is connected to scamming,” she said.
Hontiveros reiterated that all Pogos are bad.
“There is no differentiation between bad Pogo or good Pogo. It seems that Pogos are deliberately tapping former and present officials they can easily corrupt,” she pointed out.
According to the senator, “influencing public officials is part of Pogos’ strategy to continue their criminal activities in the country.”
“Kaya hindi matanggal-tanggal ang Pogo sa bansa kasi mukhang may mga binayaran na silang mga opisyal. Alam ng Pogo na malaking kahinaan ng Pilipinas ang korapsyon kaya sinasamantala nila ito,” Hontiveros stressed.
(Pogo cannot be removed from the country because they seem to have already paid off some officials. Pogo knows that corruption is a weakness of the Philippines, so they exploit it.)
She then called on fellow public servants to join the growing call to ban Pogos.
“We must show these Pogos that the Philippines does not have a price. Puksain natin ang korapsyon at palayasin na ang Pogo,” she stressed.
(We must show these Pogos that the Philippines has no price. Let’s eradicate corruption and kick out Pogo.)