MANILA, Philippines – Will dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo, also known as Guo Hua Ping, finally tell all?

Guo promised as much to the Senate panel probing illegal Philippine offshore gaming operators and her alleged ties to POGOs on Tuesday, September 24.

“Ikaw ba ay mastermind? Willing ka ba magsabi kung mayroon nasa likuran ng whole operation na ito? (Are you the mastermind? Are you willing to say if someone is behind this whole operation)?” Senator JV Ejercito asked Guo. He was the last senator to question Guo before the hearing was suspended.

“Hindi po ako mastermind. Masasabi ko po na ako ay victim (I am not the mastermind. I can say that I am a victim),” Guo responded.

“Your honor, I think sa tagal na ng imbestigasyon, alam na po ng committee, especially chaired by our chairman, who’s really at the back of everything,” she added.

(Your honor, I believe that after the length of this investigation, the committee, especially under our chairman, already knows who is really behind everything.)

Ejercito then asked her if she would be willing to identify the “most guilty” in an executive session.

“Kung sinsabi mo na ikaw ay biktima, maaawa rin tayo sa mga biktima ng POGO... Willing ka ba ilabas yung ‘most guilty’ sa isang executive session?” the senator asked.

(If you say you are a victim, we will also feel for the victims of POGO… Are you willing to reveal the ‘most guilty’ in an executive session?)

Guo replied in an affirmative: “Yes, your honor.”

Senator Risa Hontiveros, who has been leading the probe since March, welcomed Guo’s statement, indicating that her panel might have uncovered have some leads on those involved in the illegal POGOs.

“It’s the first time na narinig ko na sinabi ni Guo Hua Ping na mayroon tayong natutumbok dito sa iligal operasyon ng POGO sa Pilipinas,” Hontiveros said.

(It’s the first time I’ve heard Guo Hua Ping say that we’re getting closer to uncovering the illegal operations of POGOs in the Philippines.)

After the hearing was suspended, the senators and Guo’s camp discussed whether to start the executive session immediately or continue next week.

Initially, Guo was hesitant because her lead counsel was out of town and she wanted her lawyers present. After about 10 minutes of discussions, the senators proposed that her lead counsel join via Zoom to start the executive session, with plans to continue next week.

Under the Constitution and Senate rules, senators can hold an executive session “when the security of the State, or the public interest so requires, and the President so states in writing.”

The discussion is strictly confidential, requiring a two-thirds vote of all 24 senators to lift secrecy, rather than a simple majority. In this case, senators can choose to release a summary or share information in a subsequent hearing.

Tuesday’s Senate hearing marked the 14th session on POGOs and the 8th focused on Guo. Hontiveros said that her panel will hold at least one more hearing before finalizing the committee report.

The panel will invite former Philippine National Police chief Benjamin Acorda to the next hearing after his came up while senators grilled Michael Yang’s older brother, Chinese businessman Tony Yang.

– Rappler.com