(MARIANNE BERMUDEZ / INQUIRER file photo)
MANILA, Philippines — Members of a House of Representatives panel will visit and inspect a possible Philippine offshore gaming operator hub in Mexico, Pampanga, as part of its investigation on illegal activities linked to Pogos.
During the joint hearing of the House Committee on Public Order and Safety and the Committee on Games and Amusements, Santa Rosa City Rep. Dan Fernandez reminded lawmakers that they would be visiting a compound in Lagundi, Mexico, to check if it was really intended to be a Pogo site.
The same compound was also scrutinized in a separate investigation by the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs under Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, as huge, hotel-like facilities were hidden under the guise of a junk shop.
“We will be having an ocular inspection in Lagundi, Mexico, Pampanga, the agencies that will be invited is the PAOCC (Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission), PNP (Philippine National Police) Cybercrime Group, Bureau of Immigration, Pagcor (Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation),” Fernandez, who heads the public order and safety panel, Fernandez said on Wednesday.
“So those that I have mentioned, we will be coordinating with you on Thursday next week, we will be there by morning,” he added.
Aside from the agencies mentioned above, the following offices were invited to accompany the lawmakers:
- local government of Mexico (mayor)
- provincial government of Pampanga (governor)
- Business Permit and Licensing Office
- Bureau of Fire Protection
- Offices on Sanitary and Health
- Securities and Exchange Commission
- Department of Justice – Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking
Last June 19, several lawmakers, including Barbers and Fernandez scolded Barangay Langundi Chairman Alfredo David for insisting that a ten-hectare compound owned by Infinity 8 Trading and Corporation was meant for a junk shop.
David said that Infinity 8 Trading and Corporation is owned by a certain Alex Go Ong, saying that the compound was intended as a junk shop, even as Mexico Mayor Rodencio Gonzales said he could see “luxury buildings” in it.
Barbers presented, however, a video footage taken from inside the Infinity 8 compound, revealing at least three stylish five-story buildings — confirming Mayor Gonzales’s testimony and leading Fernandez to lash out at David.
Committee on Games and Amusements chairperson and Cavite 6th District Rep. Antonio Ferrer, however, raised concerns that Pogo officers — if any — may have already cleared the area due to Fernandez’ announcement.
In response, Fernandez noted that the area has been checked already by local government officials, noting that the goal of the committee in checking the facility is to determine if it was really being prepared for Pogo operations.
The two committees started their investigation of Pogos and alleged illegal activities linked to the games on Wednesday, upon the instructions of House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.
During the hearing, a rescued Pogo worker identified as “Dylan” — not his real name — said that a friend invited him to Bamban, Tarlac to celebrate the Chinese New Year last February 10, 2024 at Baofu facility.
His friend, however, left him there, and Baofu officials eventually said that Dylan would have to work there unless he can pay off the money used to buy him.
Casio explained further that Dylan was sold to Baofu for P300,000. He said the victim was only able to seek help when he used his company phone to inform his relatives in Malaysia, which was then relayed to Philippine authorities by the Malaysian embassy.
Last March 13, 371 Filipinos and 497 foreigners were rescued from a Pogo in Bamban, Tarlac, which was raided for alleged human trafficking involvement.
The Pogo was linked to now-suspended Bamban Mayor Alice Guo, as the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) accused the local chief executive of having business interests in Baofu Land Development Inc.
Baofu owns the land where the raided Pogo sits. DILG said Baofu, as represented by Guo who was president of the company, purchased eight parcels of land in Bamban last February 2019.
Guo claims to have divested ownership of Baofu, but DILG believes the amount she divested it for — P2.5 million — was “grossly incongruent to her investment on Baufo which is approximately eight hectares of land”.