MANILA, Philippines – Just like Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian too is far from being convinced by the revelations of Shiela Guo, the purported sister of ex-Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo.
“Maraming butas, maraming hindi siya sinasabi,” Gatchalian said in a press conference Thursday.
Gatchalian noted gaps and loopholes in Shiela’s statements that he said still require further investigation.
He first hit Shiela’s oblivion on where they were headed when she left with Guo and their supposed brother Wesley to a destination as a result of the former mayor’s sadness.
Shiela revealed they left their farm in Bamban, rode a series of boat rides including what appears to be speed boats and a fishing vessel for days to reach Malaysia.
Gatchalian also agrees with Remulla that Shiela does not qualify yet to become a state witness against Guo not only because of the gaps in her revelations but also due to a number of conflicting factors including having the same lawyer with Guo in the person of Stephen David
“Mahirap naman na magsabi siya ng impormasyon laban kay Guo Hua Ping, pero si Guo Hua Ping naman nagbabayad ng abogado niya,” Gatchalian said.
“Maaga pa para sabihin kung pwede siya maging state witness kasi hindi siya nagsasabi ng kumpletong detalye,” he said.
Shiela declared she is not involved in the POGO business but pieces of evidence prove otherwise.
“Base kasi sa dokumento, sentro siya dun sa mga aktibidad at sa mga pinipirmahan niyang dokumento. Based on the documents alone, meron siyang alam pero kung gaano kalalim ‘yung alam niya ‘yun ang maaga pa para masabi ngayon, he said.
Gatchalian said Shiela was heavily involved in money transactions because she signed the documents as treasurer of the Guo family businesses.
Guo family businesses and Bamban POGO hub connection
The senator noted that the profits of the Guo family businesses, particularly QJJ Farm Inc. and QJJ Embroidery Center Inc. do not match with the money coming into their bank accounts.
“Sa QJJ Farm ang kita niya mga 1 or 2 million lang in the span of 10 years pero ang pumasok na halaga almost P4 billion,” Gatchalian cited as an example.
Gatchalian said this answers the question as to how the sprawling POGO hub in Bamban was constructed. He had earlier stated that government agencies including the Anti-Money Laundering Council were unable to trace the source of the estimated P6.1 billion capitalization spent in the construction of the expansive POGO hub in Bamban because there were no financial statements supporting the capacity to erect 37 buildings in a 10-hectare property.
Gatchalian said further investigation then revealed that money was coming in through QJJ Farm.
“Ganun din sa QJJ Embroidery na halos lugi yung QJJ Embroidery pero ‘yung pera, ‘yung cash na pumapasok, almost P500 million,” he said.
Gatchalian noted the crucial importance of the AMLC, the sole authority intercepting and flagging suspicious financial transactions such as this.
“Aking hinala, ang aking teorya, ‘yung perang ginamit para ipatayo ‘yung POGO hub sa Bamban, nanggaling sa QJJ Farms in particular. Hindi farming ‘yung negosyo nito, construction ‘yung negosyo nito, ‘yun ang hinala ko,” he said.
Gatchalian said that the Guo family operates ten businesses using the same scheme.
Shiela is currently detained in the Senate pending hearings on their family’s mysterious exit and POGO investigations.
