Gatchalian seeks to grill POGO boss linked to Alice Guo
Metro Manila, Philippines – The Senate is set to summon alleged POGO kingpin Lin Xunhan, also known as Lyu Dong, who is considered the biggest catch in the offshore gaming controversy so far.
“I requested the committee to invite him para diretso nating matanong siya (so we can ask him directly),” Senator Sherwin Gatchalian told reporters on Tuesday.
According to information from the office of Senator Risa Hontiveros, chairperson of the committee on women, children, family relations, and gender equality which leads the probe, an invitation will be sent to Lin once the date for the next hearing is set.
Gatchalian said this could be the final hearing on the months-long issue if Lin reveals everything he knows about illegal POGO operations and the involvement of dismissed Bamban Mayor Alice Guo, believed to be born Guo Hua Ping, a Chinese national.
“Marami siyang revelations about yung POGO sa Bamban and how si Guo Hua Ping is related to him and to the POGO operations, so ako personally gusto kong matingnan ‘yan dahil big boss siya e,” Gatchalian said.
“And itong mga big boss interconnected ito sa iba’t ibang POGO hubs so gusto ko ring malaman kung ano pa yung mga POGO hubs na connected sa kanya at sino pa yung mga taong nasa likod,” he added.
[Translation: He has many revelations about the POGO in Bamban and how Guo Hua Ping is related to him and the POGO operations. Personally, I want to look into that because he’s a big boss. These big bosses are interconnected with various POGO hubs, so I also want to know what other POGO hubs are connected to him and who else is behind them.]
Lin, known by the aliases Boss BOGA and Hao Hao, meaning "boss of bosses" in Chinese, was arrested in Laguna last week.
The Senate also aims to secure the testimony of gambling tycoon and self-confessed Chinese spy She Zhijiang, but Gatchalian noted that this has become “complicated” since She has been transferred to a maximum security prison in Thailand.
During the last hearing on Oct. 8, Hontiveros’ office presented an online interview with whistleblower Wang Fugui, who claimed to possess top secret documents from She, his former cellmate, including Guo’s records as a Chinese spy. Guo has denied these allegations.
