CIDG-PAGCOR meeting to unmask alleged ex-PNP chief in POGO payroll

MANILA – The Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) and Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) are meeting this week to conduct a probe over claims that a former PNP chief accepted bribe from Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).

PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said a meeting between CIDG officials and Pagcor chief Raul Villanueva will discuss the details surrounding the latter's claim during a Senate hearing on Sept. 17.

Fajardo said the CIDG was directed to coordinate with PAGCOR to get more details from the "talks in its intelligence community" about the role of the former PNP chief.

"We want to start the investigation at the soonest possible time to determine if what he (Villanueva) said has basis. We owe it to the public to clear the issue," Fajardo said in a radio interview on Sunday.

"Remember, he was under oath when he issued the statement and he is at least morally obliged to really clear the issue to be fair to all the former PNP chiefs," she added.

Villanueva, a retired general and former commanding officer of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, said the former PNP chief aided dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo in leaving the country in July.

The same top official allegedly received bribe money from Guo, who had repeatedly denied receiving help from any Filipino government official.

There are 24 living former PNP chiefs.

PNP chief Gen. Rommel Marbil's predecessors Benjamin Acorda Jr., Rodolfo Azurin, and Oscar Albayalde already denied receiving millions from Guo in separate messages to the media.

At the same hearing, Senator Ronald Dela Rosa, the first PNP chief of the Duterte administration from 2016 to 2018, asked Guo if they had ever met before.

Guo replied said she met Dela Rosa only at the Senate hearings.

Marbil said Villanueva's allegation was damaging to the entire police organization, especially that he did not provide a name.

"The statement of General Villanueva is damaging to the whole PNP and the whole government. We represent the whole government in law enforcement and peace and order and it's something else," Marbil said in a statement.

"That's not good but then we will investigate. Give us the name and we will investigate and we will put him in jail."

He warned that if Villanueva would not be able to substantiate his claim, the PNP may file charges against him. (PNA)