Guo running mate: Ex-mayor wanted Pogo permit hearing on agenda

Dismissed Bamban Mayor Alice Guo attends committee hearing on POGO at Senate in Pasay City.
INQUIRER PHOTO / RICHARD A. REYES

MANILA, Philippines — Bamban, Tarlac acting Mayor Leonardo Anunciacion has pointed to dismissed mayor Alice Guo as the official who asked that the city council include in its agenda discussions about the provision of permits to a Philippine offshore gaming operator (Pogo).

During the hearing of the House of Representatives’ quad-committee on Thursday, Anunciacion said that Guo talked to Councilor Rainier Rivera to include in the city council’s agenda the permits for Zun Yuan Technology — the Pogo hub in Bamban that was raided for human trafficking issues.

Anunciacion — Guo’s running mate in the 2022 local elections — made the revelation after being asked numerous times by Manila 6th District Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. and Abang Lingkod party-list Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano.

“Ang alam ko po […] no’ng po ako ay vice mayor, nag-apply po sila ng resolution para bigyan po namin ng resolution para po ‘yong Zun Yuan Technology, na binigyan namin for resolution, ‘yon po ang aming ginawa noon no’ng ako’y vice mayor,” Anunciacion said.

(I know that […] when I was a vice mayor, they applied for a resolution for us to give them a resolution for Zun Yuan Technology, which we eventually gave a resolution to, that’s what we did when I was vice mayor.)

“Inendorse po ninyo?  Sino po ang nag-endorse, ‘yong mayor? […] Syempre may basbas no’ng mayor?” Abante asked.

(You endorsed it?  Who endorsed it? Is it the mayor?  Of course, it has the blessings of the mayor.)

“Siya po ang nag-request (It is her), si Mayor Alice Guo po,” Anunciacion noted.

After Guo claimed that she is not the one who talked to Anunciacion, the latter said that the directive was relayed through Rivera.

“Si Councilor Rainier Rivera po, ganito po ‘yon.  Kinausap daw po ni Mayor Alice Guo si Honorable Councilor Rainier Rivera para ma-agenda po itong Zun Yuan Technology po,” Anunciacion said.

(It’s Councilor Rainier Rivera, this is how it happened.  Mayor Alice Guo supposedly talked to Honorable Councilor Rainier Rivera so that they can include in the agenda this Zun Yuan Technology.)

“Kasi po ganito po ‘yon Chair, tinawagan po ako ni Councilor Rainier Rivera po na pinapa-agenda raw po ng aming Mayor Alice Guo itong Zun Yuan Technology po para susunod na session po nabigyan po namin,” he added.

(Because this is what happened, Mr. Chair, I was called by Councilor Rainier Rivera to say that our mayor Alice Guo is asking to include in our agenda this Zun Yuan Technology for our next session, so that we can give permits.)

Abante then went back to Guo, reminding the resource persons that the committee can cite people for contempt if they are found lying.

“Gusto ko pong sabihin Mr. Chair na gusto kong malaman kung sino ang nagsisinungaling sa inyo, sapagkat po ang sabi ni Congressman Paduano we can cite any of you in contempt,” Abante said.  “So uulitin ko ‘yong tanong ah, sino ang nagsisinungaling sa inyo, sabi mo (Guo) hindi ka nagsisinungaling.  Ibig sabihin po, binabanggit mo si acting mayor ang nagsisinungaling?”

(I just want to say, Mr. Chair, that I want to know who is telling lies between the two of you, because as what Congressman Paduano said, we can cite any of you in contempt.  So I will repeat my question: who between the two of you is lying?  You (Guo) said you are not lying.  Does this mean our acting mayor is the one lying?)

“Opo your Honor,” Guo said.

Guo appeared before the quad-committee for the first time ever, as the four panels continued its probe on illegal activities related to Pogos.  The dismissed mayor was brought to the limelight after a Senate investigation on the raided Bamban Pogo hub showed links between her and Baofu Land Development Inc., which leased land to Zun Yuan.

Guo used to head Baofu.

According to the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Baofu, as represented by Guo who was president of the company, purchased eight parcels of land in the town last February 2019.

Guo claims to have divested ownership of Baofu, but DILG believes the amount she divested it for — P2.5 million — was “grossly incongruent to her investment on Baufo which is approximately eight hectares of land”.

READ: DILG files graft charges vs Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo 

Lawmakers also believe Baofu and Zun Yuan are one and the same, just like with Whirlwind Corporation which also leased land Lucky South 99, the Pogo hub in Porac that was also raided for human trafficking violations.