IN CUSTODY Seven people linked to the activities of a raided Pogo hub in Bamban, Tarlac, are presented by National Bureau of Investigation Director Jaime Santiago on Monday after their surrender last week. They were identified as alleged conspirators of dismissed Bamban Mayor Alice Guo and were charged with human trafficking. —Philippine News Agency
MANILA, Philippines — Seven alleged incorporators of Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogos) linked to dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo have surrendered to the National Bureau of Investigation.
NBI Director Jaime Santiago identified the individuals, who are all facing five warrants of arrest for qualified trafficking issued by the Pasig City Regional Trial Court (RTC), as Roderick Paul Bernardo Puajante, Juan Miguel Alpas, Rachelle Joan Malonzo Carreon, Jamielyn Santos Cruz, Rita Sapnu Uyturralde, Rowena Gonzales Evangelista and Thelma Barrogo Requiro.
NBI Central Luzon Director Isaac Carpeso on Monday said that four of them surrendered on Friday at the agency’s office in Tarlac City, followed by Cruz on Sunday. The remaining two also surrendered on Sunday to the NBI Anti-Organized and Transnational Crime Division.
READ: Nonbailable trafficking raps filed vs Guo
“Apparently, based on our investigation, they are incorporators (of Zun Yuan Technology Inc. and Hongsheng Gaming Technology Inc.),” said Santiago, prompting the NBI to file the nonbailable case of human trafficking against them.
Suspects still at large
Five of the arrested coconspirators were also listed as officers of the two Pogo hubs in Tarlac.
Cruz was president, Alpas treasurer and Puajante secretary of Zun Yuan, while Requiro was president and CEO and Uyturralde treasurer of Hongsheng, according to Santiago.
Santiago on Monday said several other people linked to the Bamban-based Pogo, who are mostly Chinese, remained at large but are subjects of manhunt operations.
Hongsheng was reported to have changed its business name to Zun Yuan after authorities first raided the facility early this year.
Operatives of the Philippine National Police’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)-Central Luzon raided a big gaming technology establishment in Bamban, Tarlac, on Feb. 1 for an allegedly fraudulent cryptocurrency investment operation.
In a report, the CIDG said it arrested a Malaysian identified as Chai Kiat Chiw and held the 800 employees of Hongsheng, which included 350 foreigners and 500 Filipinos.
Authorities launched another operation on March 13 on Zun Yuan, where a total of 868 Pogo workers—371 Filipinos, 427 Chinese, 57 Vietnamese, eight Malaysians, three Taiwanese, two Indonesians and two Rwandans—were rescued.
The recovery of several papers in the administrative office of Zun Yuan dragged Guo into the picture.
Defense
Santiago noted that most of the arrested coconspirators’ defense was that their names were used without their knowledge, but he said this would have to be heard and decided by the court.
“That is what they have to explain to the court, because as far as our investigation is concerned, they are officials [of the two Pogos]. It will be up to the court to appreciate [their defense],” he said.
One of the coaccused, Cruz, who was also a reporter for PTV 4, said that her investment in the company was legitimate.
“My investment was for online gaming. When I entered (Zun Yuan), it was legal, because I myself went to Pagcor (Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.) and met with officials of the offshore gaming license department,” she said.
“I have also attended multiple meetings with (Pagcor chair) Al Tengco. I directly dealt with all the documentations, communications, so there was no reason to call Zun Yuan bogus,” she added.
Cruz said she only knew Guo when she covered a festival in Bamban last year, but it was not the dismissed mayor who offered her the investment.
She also denied the accusations of trafficking.
“There is no trafficking. All of it are just allegations that would have to be proven in court, but because the case has become high profile, we are now seen as criminals. But I assure you it is not true,” she said. —with a report from Tonette T. Orejas