Philippines senator calls for probe into offshore gaming operator after raid

Senator Gatchalian has called for an investigation into Bamban mayor Alice Guo’s alleged ties to the operator.

The Philippines.- Senator Sherwin Gatchalian has urged the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to investigate alleged connections between Bamban mayor Alice Guo and offshore gaming operator Zun Yuan Technology following complaints of human trafficking and serious illegal detention.

Gatchalian, who led a Senate investigation into POGO-related crimes, has proposed a resolution to investigate allegations of human trafficking, illegal detention and abuse at Zun Yuan’s premises in Bamban, Tarlac.

Gatchalian said documents obtained by his office raise suspicions of Guo’s involvement in the operator. These include a Sangguniang Bayan Resolution from September 2020 approving Guo’s application for a licence to operate Hongsheng Gaming Technology, a list of vehicles discovered at the premises of Zun Yuan, including one registered under Guo’s name, and a statement of account from Tarlac II Electric Cooperative (TARELCO II) addressed to Guo and covering the period from September 2023 to February 2024.

In February, the House of Representatives Committee on Games and Amusements approved two measures, House Bill 5082 and Resolution 1197, which seek to ban offshore gambling operators.