This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.
Alice Guo and others plead not guilty to their human trafficking charge
MANILA, Philippines – The two male Filipino incorporators of the Zun Yuan POGO (Philippine offshore gaming operator) in Bamban, Tarlac, want to turn state witnesses, an offer now being assessed by the Department of Justice (DOJ).
“We are assessing them in coordination with their counsel,” said Justice Undersecretary Nicholas Ty, head of the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking.
Roderick Pujante and Juan Miguel Alpas, who made the offer, were among the three incorporators of the Zun Yuan POGO, which was set up in June 2023. When they surrendered to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), they said that they were misled by the brother of their co-incorporator, Jamielyn Santos Cruz.
The three of them, and dismissed Bamban Mayor Alice Guo, pleaded not guilty on Friday, September 27, to their human trafficking charge pending before the Pasig City Regional Trial Court Branch 167.
It’s the prosecution, in this case the DOJ, which will decide if they are qualified to be state witnesses, and move the court to discharge them as such. To qualify as state witnesses, they must “not appear to be the most guilty,” according to the rules of criminal procedure.
The rules also say that “there is absolute necessity for the testimony of the accused” and that “there is no other direct evidence available for the proper prosecution of the offense.”
‘Ginamit lang po kami dito’
“Ginamit lang po kami dito. Pinapirma po kami dito ni Jeremy Santos, si Jeremy Santos po asawa po siya ni Patty Santos, chief-of-staff ni Mayora Alice Guo. Si Jeremy Santos kapatid niya po si Jamielyn Santos, papatunayan na lang po namin, mag-eexplain na lang po kami sa court (We were used here. Jeremy Santos made us sign. Jeremy Santos’ wife is Patty Santos, who is the chief-of-staff of Mayor Alice Guo. Jeremy Santos is the brother of Jamielyn Santos. We will prove this, we will explain it to the court),” said one of the two male incorporators. The two males, wearing caps, masks, and sunglasses, were identified as Pujante and Alpas when they were presented by the NBI on September 23, but the one who spoke did not say who he was.
Cruz, on the other hand, asserted that Zun Yuan’s business was legal. The raid on Zun Yuan in March 2024 found evidence of scamming operations, and torture.
“Ang investment na po ito, noong inalok sa akin, for online gaming. Ngayon po, ‘nung ako po ay pumasok dito, ito po ay ligal, I myself go to Pagcor and meet the officials of the Offshore Gaming License Department,” said Cruz.
(This investment that was offered to me was for online gaming. When I entered into this business, it was legal, I myself go to Pagcor to meet the officials of the offshore gaming license department.)
Cruz said she only knows Guo because as a host of state-run PTV 4, she said she had featured Bamban in a tourism segment before. Cruz said Guo was not the one who encouraged her to “invest” in the POGO.
The consultant fights the charges
Dennis Cunanan, the convicted pork barrel scam player who acted as consultant for the first Bamban POGO – Hongsheng – and the Porac POGO Lucky South, is not yet in custody. Cunanan filed a motion before the court for the outright dismissal of the case against him, saying that his being a consultant was not enough evidence to charge him for human trafficking.
Cunanan as consultant assisted the POGOs to get their licenses from Pagcor.
“Mr. Cunanan’s role may be likened to one who may have assisted a person in the processing of the latter’s gun license. If the gun is later used by such a person to kill another, should we indict Mr. Cunanan for facilitating the license? No, because the gun can be used even without such a license. The processing simply is irrelevant to the crime,” said Cunanan’s motion filed before the Pasig court. – Rappler.com
