DISMISSED Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo gave “new names” who are allegedly involved in the illegal operation of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) facilities in the country during her executive session with senators last Tuesday, Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito said yesterday.
Ejercito made the disclosure even as he refused to give more details, citing Senate rules on the conduct of closed-door meetings.
Senators had an executive meeting with Guo on Tuesday to allow the dismissed mayor to divulge more information on the individuals behind illegal POGOs operating in the country.
It was held as the Senate Committee on Women convened its hearing on the POGO issue.
Prior to the closed-door meeting, committee chairperson Sen. Risa Hontiveros showed her office’s recorded video interview with Wang Fu Gui, who introduced himself as a cellmate of She Zhijiang in a Thai jail.
Ejercito said Guo hesitated about spilling the beans on the illegal POGOs for fear of her safety.
“Meron naman (new information). Siguro hesitant siya minsan eh. Kasi siguro by naming names, probably, medyo takot din siya…So, there are some names that cropped up (There are new information. But sometimes she was hesitant maybe because by naming names she fears for her safety… There were some names that cropped up),” Ejercito said during the Kapihan sa Senado media forum.
Hontiveros had earlier said that she was not “totally satisfied” with Guo’s revelations during their first executive session, which was held last September 24.
She said, though, that during the first meeting, “there was one crucial personality confirmed by Guo Hua Ping” which corroborates “a theory that the committee shared a month ago.” She did not elaborate.
Ejercito said it would be better for Guo to identify the big personalities behind illegal POGO operations so she can be tapped as a state witness.
“Siguro if she can really point to the real masterminds, yung mga most guilty… then probably we can, baka puedeng ma-offer yung pagiging state witness sa kanya. As long as she points to the most guilty, as she claims kasi that she’s just a victim (Maybe if she can really point to the real masterminds, the most guilty…then probably we can, maybe we can offer her to be a state witness. As long as she points to the most guilty as she claims that she’s just a victim),” he said.
Ejercito said government agencies involved in intelligence gathering should take a look into the recorded video interview of Wang Fu Gui which confirms She Zhijiang’s revelations that Guo is also a Chinese spy.
“I think that the agencies should already take it from here and continue the investigation. National security issue na ito (This is a national security issue). Nandyan ang NBI, DND, NSC, they should do the investigation and dig into this (We have the National Bureau of Investigation, the Department of National Defense, the National Security Council that should do the investigation and dig into this),” he said.
Ejercito said he would have wanted to grill a former Bamban, Tarlac mayor who was allegedly instrumental for the entry of Guo into politics but was not able to do so during last Tuesday’s hearing due to lack of time.
He said there are the likes of Guo who have also been elected government officials, most of whom are in the local level.
Ejercito said he has met a lot of these elected officials and can tell that some of them are not Filipinos.
“May mga nakikilala, may nami-meet din ako na mga officials ngayon na alam kong ‘China man’ kasi malalaman mo, I came from a Chinese school. I can distinguish yung accent at saka yung itsura nung mga talagang those who are really Chinoys, yung talagang dito na pinananganak at dito na lumaki. Yung mga talagang China man na tinatawag, sila yung talagang dayo lamang (I have known and met local officials whom I can sense as ‘China man.’ I can tell because I came from a Chinese school. I can distinguish them by their accent and by their looks, and I can tell who are Chinoys [Chinese-Filipinos], who were born and grew up here. The China man I am referring to are those who are aliens),” he said.
He said the Senate should be able to come up with proposed measures on how to prevent the likes of Guo from entering politics, and worse, from getting elected.
At the same time, Ejercito said the Commission on Elections (Comelec) should strictly screen those who filed their certificates of candidacies to make sure that non-Filipinos do not run for public office.
Also, he said the Philippine Statistics Authority should be stricter in issuing birth certificates, especially to those who avail the late registration system.
Meanwhile, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) yesterday said nearly 14,000 employment opportunities are set to be offered today during the twin special job fairs for workers set to be displaced by the ban on POGOs
In a phone interview, Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma said 13,744 job vacancies will be offered in the two job fair venues in Makati City and Parañaque City.
At the Ayala Malls Manila Bay in Parañaque City, there will be 60 participating local employers that shall offer 8,162 job vacancies.
Jobs include those in the industries of BPO, wholesale and retail, transport and logistics, construction, tourism, hospitality, and health and wellness.
Over at the Ayala Malls Circuit in Makati City, there will be 44 local employers and four overseas recruitment firms that will offer 5,582 job vacancies. — With Gerard Naval
