Senate panel recommends graft raps vs Calugay, others in Alice Guo case
MANILA, Philippines — The Senate investigation into Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) has wrapped up, with lawmakers recommending charges against those who protected dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo.
Named in Senate Committee Report 514 is Sual, Pangasinan Mayor Liseldo Calugay, who was linked to Guo as both an alleged business partner and romantic interest.
The panel cited communication records and financial transactions suggesting a personal and business relationship between Calugay and Guo.
A resource person using the alias "Ka Dante" also revealed to the Senate in an executive session that they assisted in the notarization of Guo’s affidavit, which became a point of contention in the case. Guo was required to make a personal appearance for the affidavit to be notarized.
The document was notarized in August last year, but Guo had already left the country in July. Notarizing the affidavit created the appearance that she was still in the country after fleeing.
Ka Dante said that it was Calugay’s secretary, Cheryl Ordono, who instructed them to oversee the notarization of the affidavit.
“After investigation, for the relevant authorities to file criminal cases under Republic Act No. 3019 and other laws against public officials involved in illegal activities related to POGOs and in the protection of Guo Hua Ping/Alice Guo, including Sual Mayor Liseldo Calugay,” the report read.
Republic Act No. 3019 is the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
The report also focused on Tony Yang or Yang Jianxin, the brother of former presidential economic adviser to ex-president Rodrigo Duterte, Michael Yang.
During the Senate hearings, Yang admitted to faking his Filipino identity to operate local businesses here.
The National Bureau of Investigation has already filed 16 counts of falsification and perjury against Tony Yang.
However, the panel also urged authorities to further investigate the Yangs.
“For the relevant authorities to deepen preliminary information received on the possible intelligence work of Michael Yang, and possibly Tony Yang and Hongjiang Yang, for a malign foreign influence,” read the panel recommendation.
In the report, the Bureau of