The Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) are set to meet this week to investigate allegations that a former PNP chief received bribes from Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).
PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo confirmed the upcoming meeting between CIDG officials and PAGCOR Chief Raul Villanueva, following his statement during a Senate hearing on September 17th. Villanueva had claimed that a former PNP chief was involved in accepting bribes from dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo and aiding her escape from the country in July.
Fajardo emphasized that the CIDG has been directed to work closely with PAGCOR to uncover more details regarding Villanueva’s statements, which are based on intelligence reports. “We want to start the investigation as soon as possible to determine if there is any basis for what Villanueva said. We owe it to the public to clarify the issue,” Fajardo stated in a radio interview on Sunday. She added, “Villanueva was under oath when he made the statement, and he is at least morally obliged to clear the issue to be fair to all former PNP chiefs.”
Villanueva, a retired general and former commanding officer of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, accused the former PNP chief of facilitating Guo’s departure from the country while allegedly receiving bribes from her. Guo has consistently denied receiving help from any Filipino government official.
“Give us the name, and we will investigate and, if proven guilty, put him in jail.”
Chief Gen. Rommel Marbil
Currently, there are 24 living former PNP chiefs, including recent predecessors such as Benjamin Acorda Jr., Rodolfo Azurin, and Oscar Albayalde, who have all denied receiving any payments from Guo. At the Senate hearing, Senator Ronald Dela Rosa, the first PNP chief during the Duterte administration, questioned Guo about whether they had ever met before. Guo confirmed that she had only met Dela Rosa at the Senate hearings.
PNP Chief Gen. Rommel Marbil expressed deep concern over Villanueva’s statement, noting the damaging effect it has had on the police organization. “General Villanueva’s allegation is damaging not just to the PNP but to the entire government. We represent law enforcement and peace and order, and this casts doubt on our integrity,” Marbil said in a statement.
Marbil called for transparency and urged Villanueva to provide the name of the former PNP chief involved, promising that a thorough investigation would follow.
He also issued a warning that if Villanueva is unable to substantiate his claims, the PNP may consider filing charges against him for making unproven allegations. The CIDG-PAGCOR meeting aims to resolve this issue swiftly, as both institutions are under public scrutiny to clarify the involvement of any high-ranking officials in illegal POGO activities.
