Bamban mayor denies involvement in raided POGO in Tarlac, refutes Gatchalian’s claim

April 4, 2024 , 10:04 PM

By News5 Digital

(April 4, 2024) – Bamban Mayor Alice Guo on Thursday denied her involvement in a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) within her jurisdiction, refuting the claim of Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian.

Last month, Gatchalian implicated Guo, suggesting her connection to a POGO complex in Bamban because its license to operate was registered under her name. It was raided by authorities last month due to alleged scamming and other illegal schemes.

In an exclusive interview with News5, Guo clarified her position.

“I was merely the landlord before and had sold my share. The land was known to be mine in Bamban, but I was not connected to the POGO operation,” said Guo, who won as mayor in 2022.

She recounted her efforts in 2020 to attract businesses to rent her land in Bamban, touting her proficiency in Mandarin to draw Filipino-Chinese investors for a mall and an apartment building behind Bamban’s municipal hall. She, however, divested her land share upon running for mayor.

While Guo admitted to assisting Chinese investors from Hongsheng Gaming Technology to establish a POGO, which she said the local council approved in 2020, she noted that she banned its license renewal following a raid in February 2022.

Later that year, a new company, Zun Yuan Technology, received a permit from Guo to start a POGO, which operated on the same 10-hectare complex, after submitting the necessary documents.

“I reviewed their PAGCOR (Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation) license and inspected the site,” said Guo.

She added that she was surprised that there were illegal activities in the complex, saying it was under complete surveillance of PAGCOR and local government officials even visited it a week before the raid.

Guo also explained why the electric bill of the POGO and a vehicle found in the complex were also both registered under her name, as questioned by the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission.

“I used to buy and sell cars. Regarding the electricity, it was registered under my name since I initially facilitated the connection,” said Guo.

Gatchalian urged the Department of the Interior and Local Government to look closely into Guo’s possible link to the POGO in Bamban, stating that there are “damning evidence.”

Guo said she’s willing to testify in legislative hearings to prove her innocence.

“Kakampi niyo ako,” said Guo when asked about her message for Gatchalian. “As long as I’m mayor, I will no longer allow any POGO operation here in Bamban.”

(With reports from Gary De Leon, News5)

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