Senator Risa Hontiveros (left) and Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo. PHOTO FROM SENATE PRIB/FACEBOOK
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Risa Hontiveros on Monday defended the ongoing probe of the upper chamber into Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo from accusations of it being a “witch hunt” and a prelude to attack against other Chinese-Filipinos.
Hontiveros made the assertion after Filipino-Chinese civic leader Teresita Ang-See’s objection to the Senate investigation over controversies surrounding Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators and Guo, who is being linked to Pogo operations in Bamban.
Ang-See feared that other Filipino-Chinese may experience the same predicament due to politics.
“This is not a witch hunt. This is not about politics. This is about national security, criminal activities, accountability in public service, the rights and welfare of women and children, and the structural failure of our system to regulate Pogo as a business model,” Hontiveros said in a statement.
“The revelations about Mayor Alice Guo came out after evidence of her complicity in Pogo-related crimes,” Hontiveros added.
The investigation focused on Guo’s identity after several inconsistencies were observed in her own narrative.
But Hontiveros said the last eight Senate hearings on Guo revealed government shortcomings, like the proliferation of fake identification documents from PhilHealth IDs to passports.
The Senator also noted that the Pogo operations in Bamban showed alleged hacking and surveillance activities
“Considering China’s aggressive influence operations around the world, it would be remiss of the Senate not to look into this angle,” she said
“This is not an attack on Filipinos of Chinese heritage,” Hontiveros said, noting that her own maternal great-grandmother was pure Chinese.
“Regardless of our heritage, all law-abiding citizens should not be the subject of hate and discrimination,” the senator also said, adding that she condemns any kinds of racism, xenophobia, and Sinophobia.