MANILA (UPDATED) — The Presidential Anti Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) on Monday said the connection of Bamban Mayor Alice Guo to the operation of the two illegal POGOs raided in Bamban, Tarlac, and Porac, Pampanga, is now becoming clearer based on a probe of her digital footprint and paper trail of her activities.

“Itong koneksyon ni mayora sa dalawang POGO sa Tarlac at Bamban ay mas lumilinaw na sapagkat nakikita natin ang kanyang digital footprint at kanyang paper trail footprint dito sa dalawang magkasunod na scam farm na niraid natin,” PAOCC spokesperson Dr. Winston John Casio said in a televised briefing.

“Lumalabas na itong isa mayora isang primary enabler, her participation in Baofu is quite clear, at ito naman itong link ng Baofu at mga personalidad ng Baofu dito sa Lucky South 99 ay lumilinaw habang dumadami ang mga dokumentong nababasa namin,” he added.

The PAOCC believes that the scam farms in Porac and Bamban are just “two branches of the same criminal organization,” and that Guo and her family members are involved in their operations.

“Maging sa ilang mga operasyon ay nandoon din ang kanyang footprint, so lumalakas ang aming paniniwala na both Porac at Bamban ay two branches of the same criminal organization. At ang pamilya ni Mayora ay involved sa both ng mga scam farms na ito,” he said.

Casio said the PAOCC will immediately file additional charges against the mayor at the DOJ once they secure all the evidence against her.

“Since nasampahan natin siya doon sa Bamban, may posibilidad na masampahan sya sa Porac or madagdagan pa ang mga kaso ni mayora with regards to Bamban,” he said.

Aside from Guo’s paper trail and digital footprint, Casio says there are ‘other links’ that will tie the Bamban mayor to the illegal scam farms, including her ties with a certain Cassandra Lee Ong, who is considered a person of interest in the case.

“Isa rin pong person of interest na maaring makasuhan sa susunod na araw. Tinitingnan namin ang partisipasyon ng isang Cassandra Lee Ong kasi sa aming mga imbestigasyon nakikita namin na maraming dokumento na nakapangalan sa kanya, at maging sa kanyang mga application doon sa PAGCOR sya ang nag-aapply, so sya ang nag-aappear,” Casio said.

“Ngayon marami kaming nakikitang mga larawan, mga dokumento na nagpapakita na magkakilala at magkasama noong nakaraang kampanya sa pagka-mayor ng Bamban itong si Cassie Lee Ong at mayora Guo. Maraming links, sobrang dami.”

Meanwhile the PAOCC is set to file charges against 2 foreign POGO workers identified as kidnappers and torturers. 

They are currently detained at the PAOCC’s temporary detention facility in Pasay City, along with other foreign nationals.

“By the way tomorrow baka makapagsampa na ng kaso sa 2 na-identify na kidnappers at torturers. The rest 161 yung hindi witnesses at complainants yung hindi makakasuhan we will deport them to China at doon na nila haharapin ang mga kaso nila sa China,” he said.

Casio said that the PAOCC is set to charge some 12 foreign nationals connected to the illegal POGO operations.

“Mayroon na silang commitment orders inaasahang lalabas anytime yung charge sheet, saka yung summary deportation order. Maiiwan lang dyan yung witnesses complainants parang 4 so far ngayon at maiiwan yung 12 persons of interest na kakasuhan namin,” he said.

Casio added that the PAOCC is also awaiting the return to Manila Monday afternoon of one foreign national identified as an illegal POGO worker who was intercepted by the Bureau of Immigration in Davao City as she was attempting to leave the country.

“We are requesting immigration to send her back to Manila para sa Bicutan pabalik na siya ngayong hapon dito sa Metro Manila,” he said.

DILG task force

The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benhur Abalos said their investigation on the POGO hub is also ongoing.

“Mayroon kaming task force na binuo dito, ipapacheck namin kung ito ba’y may mayor’s permit o wala, kasi medyo magulo ang mga statements eh… pinapatignan ko ito. Of course kung may mayor’s permit ito at wala naman lisensya ito, remember 2 years ago ako mismo nag-raid sa Lucky 99 sa Angeles,” said Abalos.

Meanwhile PNP Chief Police General Rommel Francisco Marbil said policemen found to be "protecting: of POGO hubs will face disciplinary actions.

He added that unreported killings inside the compound of Scam Farm in Porac, Pampanga and POGO in Bamban, Tarlac, resulted in the relief of the provincial director of Pampanga and the chief of police of Porac. 

It also was one of the reason why the whole personnel of Bamban Police were relieved from their posts.  

“Kasi may mga killings dun na hindi naimbestigahan mabuti, hindi siya kasi normal eh, sa ibang bagay eh… Bakit may foreigners na may namamatay nandun, dapat further on inimbestigahan nila. Saan ba nanggagaling ito, hindi kasi nagiging natural sa kanila pag may ganyan, dapat hindi inaalam nila,” said Marbil.

“Inefficiency sa mga pulis natin bakit hindi naiimbestigahan at hindi nairereport dun sa headquarters yung mga ganitong pangyayari,” he added.

He said the regional police director of Central Luzon will also be investigated.

“We are investigating din po yung regional director dun sa mga yan, ang mga reports na hindi po naaksyunang mabuti. We put accountability dun sa mga regional directors,” said Marbil.

 Abalos said the provincial government of Pampanga has also ordered investigation on the possible accountability of local government officials of Porac.

“Kung titingnan niyo ang ginagawa ng Ombudsman. There are 2 disciplining ano rito para alam ng ating mga kababayan. No. 1 is the Ombudsman and No. 2 is the Sangguniang Panlalawigan. Yan ang nagdidisiplina pagdating sa administrative aspect kung ito ba ay isususpinde or ididismiss,“ Abalos said.

The PNP-CIDG is also looking into the military uniforms found inside the Porac POGO hub.

“Parang nakikta namin dito mga souvenir na ginagamit ng mga Chinese nationals dun sa Porac but we are not discounting the possibility na may iba pang readson bakit andun yung mga military uniforms na ito,”  CIDG director Police Major General Leo Francisco said.

POGO POLITICS?

The DILG warned there is a possibility that POGO money will be used as elections funds of some candidates in the coming 2025 midterm elections.

“Alice Guo has been elected,” said Abalos. “There could always be that possibility of illegal means, illegal POGO, illegal jueteng, or illegal esabong, at ang masaklap even illegal drugs, narcopolitics, all of these things could possibly affect an election, it could. it could…Whether we liked it or not sa totoo lang kung minsan itong mga perang iligal na ito ay ginagamit to pop up candidates at yun ang masaklap po dito."

The PNP, meanwhile said it is coordinating with PAGCOR on regular inspections of POGO hubs. - with reports from Jeff Caparas, ABS-CBN News