Official thumbs down Guo as state witness

MANILA – The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) on Saturday thumbed down a suggestion to turn Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo into a state witness, saying that would only be possible if she can point to someone "higher" and more guilty than her.

PAOCC spokesperson Winston Casio said he believes the suspended local government chief is not the least guilty among the suspects they are investigating for human trafficking.

In fact, Guo is highest in the "food chain," the PAOCC official said.

"So far, sa mga na-identify natin, hawak natin (among those we have identified and under our custody)," Casio said during the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City, when asked if Guo is most guilty.

"Any state witness for that matter would have to be the least guilty in the entire conspiratorial chain in the commission of the crime. The way we appreciate the evidence on hand, what we have now so far as of this time, she is not the least guilty," he added.

If future evidence would point to Guo as least guilty, Casio said they can discuss her being star witness.

At the same time, Casio clarified that prosecutors, and not the PAOCC, would look into such a recommendation.

The Bamban mayor is being linked to illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).

Last month, the PAOCC and the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group filed a complaint against Guo and several others for alleged human trafficking after workers were found at a raided POGO hub in Bamban.

Casio assured Guo is still in the Philippines.

The PAOCC is also investigating who might be leaking advanced information on planned POGO raids.

"Everyone involved in the preparation of the case buildup all the way to the moment that we got the search warrant, everyone in that food chain is suspect. Everyone including ourselves," he said. (PNA)