Next Alice Guo hearing: Pharmally documents, mayor friend’s fate

Metro Manila, Philippines – Alice Guo will be questioned publicly again on Tuesday, Sept. 17, when Senator Risa Hontiveros plans to present documents showing the former Bamban, Tarlac mayor’s financial transactions with people connected to a disgraced former government medical supplier.

“Hindi pa namin binibitawan yung pag-asa na mababalikan namin at mas makukumpleto pa yung imbestigasyon noon ng Blue Ribbon sa Pharmally,” Hontiveros told NewsWatch Plus.

“Dahil yung mga pangalang lumilitaw nitong mga huling hearing pareho rin pala ng mga pangalan nung panahon ng imbestigasyon sa Pharmally,” she added.

[Translation: We have not given up hope of revisiting and further completing the Blue Ribbon investigation into Pharmally. The names emerging in the recent hearings are actually the same ones from the Pharmally investigation period.]

Pharmally Pharmaceutical was the provider of allegedly overpriced COVID-19 medical supplies.

In July, Hontiveros revealed that Guo’s former company, Baofu Land, which leased its land to the raided Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators Zun Yuan Technology and Hongsheng Gaming Technology in Bamban, had direct financial deals with a certain Hongjiang Yang.

Hongjiang Yang is the brother of Michael Yang, who was economic adviser to former President Rodrigo Duterte and attended a number of online hearings of the Blue Ribbon committee during the pandemic as the alleged financier of Pharmally, which was accused of selling overpriced medical supplies to the government.

She also mentioned Gerald Cruz, an incorporator of Pharmally’s sister company Pharmally Biological, who is also an incorporator of a POGO named Brickhartz, with documents related to the company found in Bamban.

“At least one of those persons na nabanggit ko sa nakaraang hearing ay may transaksyon kay Guo Hua Ping kaugnay ng POGO dito sa Bamban (I mentioned in the last hearing has transactions with Guo Hua Ping in connection with the POGO in Bamban),” Hontiveros said.

“Please stand by for some documents,” she said.

During the last hearing on Sept. 9, Guo denied knowing Cruz and the Yangs.

Guo’s friend subpoenaed

Another person linked to Guo – Sual, Pangasinan Mayor Dong Calugay, has been issued a subpoena after missing the last two hearings on Sept. 5 and 9 over a dengue illness.

Guo admitted to being friends with Calugay, but nothing more.

Hontiveros said Calugay is a business partner of Guo in the Bamban POGO hub.

“‘Pag pati sa subpoena hindi nagpakita si Mayor Calugay, I’ll be left with no choice kundi i-cite din sila in contempt,” Hontiveros said, confirming that this triggers a Senate arrest order.

“Yung pangalawang sulat nila ay maayos naman yung tono so I hope pauunlakan na niya yung aming subpoena,” Hontiveros said.

[Translation: If Mayor Calugay fails to appear even with a subpoena, I’ll have no choice but to hold him in contempt. The tone of their second letter was appropriate, so I hope he will comply with our subpoena.]

Plugging holes

Hontiveros said she hopes to wrap up the legislative probe after “a few more hearings,” provided that senators obtain a complete picture of Guo’s alleged POGO operations and uncover the truth behind her escape from the country in July despite a Senate arrest order and immigration lookout bulletin.

Guo identified a Baofu incorporator as the mastermind behind her elaborate escape plan to Malaysia via yacht, ship, and boat, writing his name on a piece of paper in the last hearing. Hontiveros now wants her to disclose this person publicly at the next hearing.

She said she is not ruling out the possibility that Guo and the alleged siblings, Shiela and Wesley, may have flown out of the country instead of traveling by sea, and that no Filipino government officials or employees were involved in their escape.

Guo’s camp has requested an executive or closed-door session to disclose details, citing that the former mayor has already received death threats, including from the Baofu incorporator who initially helped her. Hontiveros stated that Guo must first demonstrate “good faith” and stop lying during the public hearings.