MANILA, Philippines – Senators on Tuesday, September 17, tried to establish more links between dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo, also known as Guo Hua Ping, and Sual, Pangasinan Mayor Dong Calugay.
Were they business partners? Were they romantic partners? Were they partners in crime?
This was their line of questioning as Calugay faced intense scrutiny during his first appearance before the Senate. He was questioned about his connections with Guo and his links to illegal Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) in Central Luzon.
“Business partner po ba kayo ni Guo Hua Ping, Mayor (Are you a business partner of Guo Hua Ping, Mayor?)” Senator Risa Hontiveros asked.
Calugay responded, saying: “Wala po kami kahit na isa po na business (We do not have even one business).”
“Kunin ninyo ‘yung pagkakataon, ‘yung mga susunod kong tanong para sumagot nang totoo po. You are under oath at hindi lang po itong huling dokumento ipapakita ko at namin sa inyo,” Hontiveros said.
(Take the opportunity with my next questions to answer truthfully. You are under oath, and this won’t be the last document we’ll show you.)
Hontiveros then presented a number of businesses which seemed to be derived from Guo’s name (Alice) and Calugay’s name. Calugay denied owning any of the firms.
“AC, I think, stands for Alice and Calugay,” quipped Senator Jinggoy Estrada, who first suggested the idea of Guo and Calugay being romantic partners back in May.
Calugay also said that he neither runs nor is familiar with Alisel Consumer Goods Trading Hardware and Construction Supplies.
Calugay’s executive assistant Cheryl Medina, listed as the owner of Dee Aqua Farm, denied ownership, stating the farm is non-operational. She explained that she applied for registration but did not proceed after discovering that government employees are prohibited from engaging in business.
It was also revealed during the hearing that Medina provided help in getting Guo’s counter affidavit for a human trafficking case notarized even when she was no longer in the country.
‘Magkaibigan lang kami’
Hontiveros also tried to validate intel she received that Medina had allegedly told people about a child whose parents are supposedly Guo and Calugay.
“In fact, may nakuha po kaming impormasyon na kayo mismo nagsabi sa kanila na girlfriend ni Mayor Calugay si Guo Hua Ping. Bukod pa diyan, kinuwinento niyo pa raw sa kanila na may anak silang dalawa,” Hontiveros said, addressing Medina.
(In fact, we received information that you yourself told them that Guo Hua Ping is Mayor Calugay’s girlfriend. Furthermore, you supposedly also mentioned to them that they have a child together.)
Medina, close aide of Calugay, denied knowing any romantic or business relationship between Guo and her boss. “Wala po, your honor (None, your honor),” Medina said.
During the hearing, Calugay maintained that his relationship with Guo is strictly platonic, despite photos of them together at various events, and despite them wearing “couple shirts” in some of them.
“Magkaibigan lang po kami (We are just friends),” said Calugay, when Hontiveros asked him to describe their relationship.
Calugay, however, admitted that he gave Guo a bouquet of flowers for Valentine’s Day but insisted it was just a friendly gesture. He explained that he first met Guo in 2016 at her farm in Tarlac while searching for a poultry supplier.
Hontiveros said that her line of questioning was meant not to determine not Guo and Calugay’s romantic relationship, but to check the possibility of their “criminal relationship.”
“Kaya inuna na namin ‘yung mga tanong na ang dali sanang sagutin nang totoo sa mga litratong iyon. Ang pinaka-interest ko po ay kung may sabwatan kayong dalawa para sa kadiliman at kasamaan,” Hontiveros added.
(That’s why we started with questions that would have been easy to answer truthfully given those photos. What I am most interested in is whether the two of you are involved in any collusion of dark and evil purposes.)
Ties with POGO personalities
Hontiveros then presented a photograph of Guo and Calugay with Wesley Guo, Cassandra Li Ong, and Duaren Wu, taken in February at a town wedding in Sual. Wesley is Alice’s sibling, Ong is associated with POGO in Porac, Pampanga, and Wu is reportedly the “big boss” of POGO.
“Nandyan po sila sa kasalang bayan na kababanggit niyo lang. May photographic evidence. Naalala ninyo na po?” Hontiveros asked Calugay. (They are present at the town wedding you just mentioned. There is photographic evidence. Do you remember now?)
“Noong kasalang bayan, marami pong kasama si Mayor Alice pero hindi ko po kilala yung iba,” Calugay replied. (At the town wedding, Mayor Alice had many people with her, but I don’t know the others.)
Senators warned Calugay to say the truth; otherwise he would be cited in contempt. – Rappler.com