Dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo attends a Senate hearing. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN NewsMANILA (UPDATE) — A senior official of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) on Tuesday clarified that what he shared in the previous Senate hearing about the alleged involvement of a former police chief in the escape of Alice Guo was merely a "rumor."

• Citing 'intel', Pagcor exec says a former PNP chief may have helped Alice Guo escape

"As I have stated last Senate hearing, I consider it as rumor. In fact, I dismissed it as rumor. I don't have any confirmation at all. I don't have any verified data...  Unconfirmed information is not considered intelligence data, not actionable at all, therefore it is not yet valid," Pagcor senior vice president Raul Villanueva told Sen. Bato dela Rosa.

Dela Rosa, a former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, confronted Villanueva about the impact of his remark on the reputation of previous top cops. 

• TIMELINE: Alice Guo's secret escape from PH and arrest in Indonesia

"Information as sensitive as what you have offered to this committee should be taken seriously. You should have gained a lesson from the previous hearing that whenever we have information unvalidated ay hindi dapat basta-basta i-share sa publiko because it will ruin the reputation of other people na pwedeng ma-malign," the senator said.

• Mention of 'former PNP chief' at Senate POGO hearing worries former top cops

Villanueva said he did not mean to malign the former heads of PNP.

"I don't want to put malice on our chief PNPs. I'm sorry kung 'yan ang paka-interpret ng mga chief PNPs natin but I hold them in respect because each of these chief PNP has their own legacy in the PNP institution," he said. 

Dela Rosa then asked Villanueva if he was retracting his statement and issuing a public apology.

"Yes, your honor, to take it very bluntly," he replied.

• 'Irresponsible': Ex-PNP chiefs condemn Pagcor official's claim an ex-police chief aided Guo's escape

Former PNP chiefs have condemned Villanueva's remark and dared him to name the alleged official involved in Guo's escape.

Villanueva's "rumor" also triggered PNP to investigate its 24 former chiefs.

• PNP investigating 24 ex-police chiefs on info that one could have helped Guo escape

PROBE CONTINUES

According to PNP's Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, the probe into Villanueva's claim continues despite his clarification that it was only a rumor.

"Hindi tayo titigil sa bagay na ito dahil hindi lang naman ex-chief PNP yung ating tina-target. Lahat ng personnel or lahat ng tao sa gobyerno na puwedeng nagkaroon ng suporta, pagtulong kay Alice Guo sa kanyang pagtakas. So hindi lang limitado ito sa PNP,” CIDG director Maj. Gen. Leo Francisco said.

Francisco also said that they are still studying if they would file a complaint against Villanueva over his statement before the Senate panel.

"Pinag-aaralan na namin yan dito sa CIDG at kung may makita kaming paglabag sa aming batas, kaukulang kaso ang ating isasampa," Francisco said. — With a report from Raya Capulong, ABS-CBN News

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