Sen. Risa Hontiveros (L) and Alice Guo. | PHOTOS: Sen. Risa Hontiveros and Senate PRIB
MANILA, Philippines — Dismissed Bamban Mayor Alice Guo, during an executive session with the Senate panel on women, revealed a “crucial personality” linked to the operations of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (Pogos) in the country.
Panel head Sen. Risa Hontiveros disclosed this information in a statement on Wednesday.
“Hindi pa din ako masyadong satisfied sa mga pahayag sa executive session, bagamat there was one crucial personality confirmed by Guo Hua Ping,” said Hontiveros.
(I am not fully satisfied with her statements during the executive session, although Guo Hua Ping confirmed one crucial personality.)
READ: Alice Guo says to reveal Pogo ‘most guilty’ in Senate executive session
“This corroborates a theory that the Committee shared a month ago,” she added.
No other details were provided as to whom this “crucial personality” is.
The Senate committee convened in an executive session on Tuesday after Guo swore to disclose the “most guilty” behind crimes linked to Pogos in the country.
READ: Ex-PNP Chief Acorda’s photos with Pogo figures bared in Senate probe
Meanwhile, Hontiveros said that in the interest of fairness, it is important to “give platform” to personalities linked to the ongoing investigation.
This was after photos of former police chief Benjamin Acorda and other police officers, together with Pogo personalities, were shown during the panel’s Tuesday probe.
In a separate message to reporters on Wednesday, Sen. JV Ejercito said the executive session held was an icebreaker, adding that he is hoping that more details will be divulged in the next closed-door discussion with his colleagues and the dismissed Bamban mayor.
“Personally hindi ako naniniwala na isang Guo ang nasa likuran ng ganitong operasyon kundi isang international crime syndicate at pawn o front lamang si Guo,” said Ejercito.
(Personally, I don’t believe that only Guo is behind this operation, but an international crime syndicate, [which means] that Guo is only a pawn of a front.)
He, however, emphasized that they cannot discount the possibility that Guo is an “agent” of China due to her demeanor and skills to evade queries.
Prodded if Guo can be a state witness, Ejericto said Guo can only be one if she divulges who are the masterminds behind Pogo syndicate in the country.