Senator Sherwin Gatchalian stated that the Senate is about to conclude its investigation into the illegal Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGO) located in Banban, Tarlac Province, and will shift focus to the POGO center in Porac, Pampanga, which was raided.
"When I spoke with Senator Risa Hontiveros, I told her that we could start focusing on the POGO center in Porac town, as it has not yet been given attention, nor have any charges been brought against those involved," Zhang Qiaowei said during an interview with Super Radyo dzBB.
"I observed that if this issue is not addressed, no charges will be brought forward, and the case processing time will be extended," he added.
Hontiveros is the chair of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality, which is conducting hearings on illegal POGOs and their human rights violations.
In June, authorities discovered victims of torture, a suspected torture room, and evidence of a "love scam" operation inside the Porac POGO center.
Gatchalian noted that the criminal elements in Banban and Porac towns are intertwined, and their modus operandi is nearly identical.
The senator mentioned that one of the figures linked to these two POGO centers is Tony Yang, brother of Michael Yang, a former economic adviser to President Rodrigo Duterte, who allegedly dealt with the dismissed Mayor Alice Guo during the busiest times of the POGO operations in Banban.
Meanwhile, Gatchalian believes that although there is a delay, Guo will still be transferred to the Pasig City Jail.
"Since there is a court order, it's only a matter of time before Guo is transferred. It's just delayed due to document procedures," Gatchalian said.
The plan to transfer Guo from the Camp Crame Philippine National Police detention center to the women's dormitory in Pasig City Jail has been postponed due to some requirements for the transfer of detention, including a medical assessment, which have not yet been completed.
The Philippine National Police stated that it is likely that Guo will be transferred. Guo had earlier posted bail at the Branch 282 of the Regional Trial Court in Valenzuela City on corruption charges.
In a statement on Sunday, Hontiveros said that although Guo has the right to post bail, the dismissed mayor will still be detained as she faces non-bailable human trafficking charges.
