Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III. (File photo by NIÑO JESUS ORBETA / Philippine Daily Inquirer)
MANILA, Philippines — A mere gossip was how Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III viewed the latest talk about a retired chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), who was allegedly on the monthly payroll of Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogos).
“I heard what he said. It is only at the level of tsismis. Hence I don’t want to dwell too much on it,” Pimentel said in a message to reporters on Wednesday.
The senator was reacting to the testimony of Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) Senior Vice President of Security and Monitoring Cluster Retired General Raul Villanueva during the hearing of the Senate committee on women on Tuesday.
Villanueva claimed hearing talks within the intelligence community that police officials, including a former chief PNP, allegedly received bribes to help dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo (real name: Guo Hua Ping) escape the country in July.
He repeatedly stressed though during the hearing that the information was not verified.
Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., nevertheless, saw the need to reveal the identity of the former official so as not to put the entire police organization in doubt.
“Syempre pagdududahan ang lahat e. Unfair yun. Dapat talaga ilutang nila kung sino yan,” Revilla said in an interview in Quezon City.
(Of course, everyone will be suspected. That’s unfair. They should really disclose who that is.)
For former senator Panfilo Lacson, however, it is no longer surprising if indeed there were rogue policemen and other government officials receiving “regular payolas and some extras” for assisting in the escape of Guo, considering the extent of Guo and her group’s influence and connections.
“But to include a former CPNP (chief PNP), if intelligence reports were credible as exposed by the PAGCOR official is not only alarming but reprehensible,” Lacson pointed out in a separate statement.
“All that being said, let me reiterate my appeal to our intelligence and investigation agencies to leave no stone unturned to reach the logical conclusion by filing criminal charges and having all those involved convicted and given the commensurate jail terms that they deserve,” he added.
Lacson also headed the PNP during the time of then President Joseph Estrada.
It was Sen. Risa Hontiveros who disclosed last month that Guo and her siblings allegedly paid P200 million to flee the country without being detected by law enforcement agencies.
Guo was arrested in Indonesia on September 4, and is currently detained at the PNP custodial center while facing charges over her alleged ties to Pogos.