The Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality inquiry into reports of human trafficking, scams and other alleged crimes involving POGOs of Mayor Alice Guo of Bamban, Tarlac.
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NewsTranscript
00:00Rowena is an evangelist. She sells vegetables.
00:05Telma Laranan only sells breakfast.
00:10Rita Iturralde is a saleswoman. She sells rice.
00:16I was thinking, why did you choose to be an incorporator of this?
00:21I sent this to Weng.
00:24I don't think this will be an investor in Pogo.
00:28We also rented the house of Rita Iturralde to Telma Laranan.
00:35If we went to the houses one by one,
00:38and we saw that they don't have a way to invest in Pogo,
00:43why didn't PagCorp do it?
00:45World databases, if they are involved in whatever kinds of activities.
00:49It's a probity check of laziness.
00:51If it's all about documents, it's also laziness.
00:55Ms. Merly Joy Manalo Castro.
01:00Ms. Castro, thank you for coming to our hearing.
01:05Ms. Castro, in the SEC registration of Hong Seng,
01:09you are an incorporator of the company.
01:12What do you know about the illegal operations of Pogo?
01:18Nothing, ma'am.
01:20You don't know anything about the illegal operations of Pogo?
01:25I have no idea what Pogo is.
01:29What do you know about the operations or business of Hong Seng?
01:36Actually, I really have no idea.
01:39I just received a letter, the first invitation.
01:43Because I don't know the company listed there,
01:47I searched that night.
01:50At the same time, that's where I learned all the information about the company.
01:55And then, I emailed the latter part of the letter with the email address.
02:01I won't be able to reach that time because I also have a job.
02:06So you don't know Hong Seng, that company?
02:09I also don't know where it's going and what it is.
02:14I have no idea because I'm just a housemaid.
02:18How did you meet your other co-incorporators?
02:24Who are they?
02:26I just found out their names when it was released on Friday night.
02:32I was included in the list of people who were being transferred to the DOJ.
02:38I was so scared because I really had no idea how I was going to be there.
02:44I just found out about it when I received your first letter.
02:49Then, there was a letter from BIR.
02:52Hong Seng said it was a closure.
02:56I went to BIR to inform them that I won't be transferring any papers because I'm not connected.
03:03They told me to make an affidavit to identify that I'm not connected.
03:13I just watched the news.
03:17I knew everything about the company and what it was doing.
03:23Because I had no idea.
03:26After that, I found out that there were 13 of them.
03:34I really waited.
03:36I watched the news until late at night.
03:38When the news was released, I read my name.
03:44How did you become a co-incorporator?
03:48Hong Seng's articles of incorporation have your name and signature.
03:55Are you saying that the signature is fake?
03:58I'm not signing any papers.
04:02Actually, I don't know how to become a co-incorporator.
04:06I don't have the skills to become a co-incorporator.
04:11Do you know how I became a co-incorporator?
04:17I have no idea.
04:19Are you saying that the signature of your articles of incorporation is fake?
04:25Yes.
04:31Ms. Castro, we have a copy of your signature and your TIN number.
04:37Yes.
04:38I'll ask if it's okay to flash it.
04:42Is it okay that we flashed it?
04:45I apologize.
04:47Now, our signal is very fast.
04:52I apologize.
04:53Is it okay that we flashed it?
04:55Okay.
04:56Thank you.
04:57I will also show you Hong Seng's SEC documents.
05:01Are they the same?
05:17I will show you the real signature and Hong Seng's documents.
05:35While we are waiting for the second photo,
05:38who are your co-incorporators?
05:48According to the list I saw when it was released on the 21st,
05:53I know Thelma Laranan, Rowena Evangelista, and Rita Itoralde.
06:07How did you meet Ms. Thelma, Ms. Rowena, and Ms. Rita?
06:13How did you meet them?
06:15Way back in 2018, I lived in the town of Concepcion.
06:21I had a computer shop there.
06:24I was in the market.
06:27Even now, I still see them.
06:30Rowena Evangelista was selling vegetables in the market.
06:36She was the owner.
06:38Thelma Laranan was just selling breakfast in the morning in the market.
06:47Rita Itoralde was selling rice cakes.
06:58She was also in the town of Concepcion.
07:01Aside from being surprised to be charged as the co-incorporator of Hong Seng,
07:11you also know three other women, Ms. Rowena, Ms. Thelma, and Ms. Rita,
07:17who were also selling vegetables in the market.
07:21Ms. Rowena was selling vegetables,
07:24Ms. Thelma was selling breakfast,
07:27and Ms. Rita was selling rice cakes.
07:30They were also included as the co-incorporators of Hong Seng.
07:36Actually, I'm not sure if they were the co-incorporators.
07:40I just saw their names.
07:43I didn't know if they were the co-incorporators when they were released in 2021.
07:49The only thing I know is that I was the co-incorporator.
07:54I was the co-incorporator and director.
07:56That's what's in the letter.
07:58I'll go back to the DOJ.
08:02How is this, Usec?
08:04They were charged with non-bailable crimes.
08:07What do you see as the next scenario that will materialize or should materialize?
08:17The preliminary investigation is still ongoing, Madam Chair.
08:21They should face the DOJ's preliminary investigation
08:27and give their statement.
08:30They should be able to prove what they're saying
08:34and hopefully convince the prosecutor
08:38that they were not included in the court.
08:42I think it's important to emphasize
08:45what Usec T, Ms. Merly, and Ms. Castro are saying.
08:49You should include your real signature, for example, in your BIR ID card
08:55and your signature of Ms. Merly Joy Manalo Castro
09:01in the Hongsheng papers.
09:07Before we show that photo in the articles of incorporation of Hongsheng,
09:16I would like to note that your TIN number in the Hongsheng articles is different
09:22from your TIN number in your real BIR ID, 223-984-212-000.
09:31Your TIN number in the Hongsheng articles of incorporation is different.
09:40Yes, ma'am, it's different.
09:41I don't have a TIN number in the upper part.
09:44Ah, okay, so you saw it.
09:46Ah, here it is.
09:47So, your signature is there.
09:53Did they make an effort to forge your signature?
09:57But your BIR number is different.
10:00Because in the Hongsheng articles of incorporation,
10:03your TIN number is 265-820-742-000.
10:13But Ms. Merly, here, your signature in the Hongsheng articles of incorporation
10:21and your real signature are similar.
10:25They look similar.
10:28What is your comment on this?
10:31I don't have a signature in the upper part.
10:34My real signature is in my BIR ID.
10:38I don't have that.
10:42But if you look at it first, you can say that they look similar.
10:49What is your comment on that?
10:51I don't have a signature in the upper part.
10:54Okay.
10:55Ms. Castro, are you ready to say your facts about yourself to the DOJ
11:10so that you will not be included in the case?
11:13I am ready because I have nothing to do with this.
11:18Thank you very much, Ms. Castro, for attending our hearing today.
11:24And I really wish you the best in the DOJ case.
11:32Yes, Usec T.
11:34Thank you, ma'am.
11:35I just want to add that another option for Ms. Castro and others like her
11:41is that they can complain against the people who used their names.
11:47If they are not clear about who they are,
11:50they can approach us, DOJ, PAOC, and law enforcement
11:53to start a new investigation on this issue.
11:57They can help us with the case and also with their defense
12:02in their preliminary investigation.
12:05Thank you very much, Usec T.
12:06I hope you heard what Ms. Castro said.
12:09How can the committee support you if you will help the DOJ?
12:18We need to do that.
12:22Thank you.
12:24Thank you.
12:26As for the BIR...
12:30BIR...
12:31Madam Chair?
12:32Yes, sir.
12:34Yes, sir. Attorney Tibayan.
12:36Can you please check the tin number on the top?
12:42265820742000?
12:49And give feedback to the committee during this hearing.
12:53Yes, ma'am. We'll do so.
12:55Thank you very much.
12:57Not only to Ms. Castro, but also to the DOJ.
13:01Thank you.
13:02To the BIR.
13:03To Ma'am Merly.
13:07Ma'am Merly, what is your job?
13:13In the BPO company.
13:15In the BPO company?
13:16Yes.
13:17And you are from Concepcion, Tarlac?
13:25Yes.
13:26And the people you mentioned earlier, the people you are with,
13:32Telma Laranan, Rowena Evangelista, Rita Ituralde,
13:41are they also from Concepcion?
13:44It's possible.
13:45It's possible.
13:46It's just that I only see them in the market.
13:50What is this? Do you know them personally?
13:54I don't know them personally because I was with them in 2018.
13:59When I left the town, I was already in Jepmina,
14:02I was already a barrier in Dutong Amatas.
14:06I don't see them that much anymore.
14:08Except for Rowena, where I buy vegetables once a week.
14:13So Rowena is a vendor, right?
14:19Rowena Evangelista is a vegetable vendor.
14:21And Telma?
14:22She is a breakfast vendor in Omaga.
14:25And Rita?
14:26She has a place where she sells inasal in Concepcion.
14:32So she is also a vendor?
14:34Yes.
14:35Are you a vendor?
14:36No.
14:37Oh, you're not a vendor.
14:38I used to sell iso-iso before I got a job.
14:46It's just that it's hard to do because there's a lot of work.
14:51But because I studied, I tried to get a job in BTO.
14:57I was thinking, why did you choose to be an incorporator?
15:03I still don't have an idea.
15:07And I believe that you are not incorporators.
15:10I believe that.
15:12Because we went to the houses one by one.
15:15Let's show Weng Evangelista.
15:18Please show it on the slide.
15:25Actually, I went to Weng.
15:30I don't think she will be an investor in Pogo.
15:34Her house is like that.
15:38We also rented Rita's house in Turalde in Nex.
15:48I don't think she will be an investor in Pogo.
15:57We also have a picture of Thelma Laranan.
16:06I believe that you are not investors in Pogo.
16:12I think you are investors in barbecues and banana queues.
16:18But I don't think you will be an investor in Pogo.
16:24This is where I will now direct my questions to PAG-COR.
16:31Before we go to PAG-COR, I have a follow-up question.
16:34It's not about Ms. Merly, but it's about Ms. Merly.
16:38I have a question about BIR.
16:42Yes, ma'am.
16:43Engineer?
16:44Sorry, Attorney Tibayan.
16:47Is there an update on Tin Di Umano of Ms. Castro in the articles of incorporation of Hong Sheng?
16:56Yes, Madam Chair.
16:58Upon checking our system, it seems that the Tin assigned to Ms. Merly Castro in the SEC articles of incorporation does not belong to any individual.
17:08Further, ma'am, with the permission of Ms. Merly Castro, may we also verify the correct Tin of Ms. Castro?
17:16We also showed that earlier.
17:18Ms. Merly, what is your correct Tin number?
17:23223-984-212-000
17:27Yes, ma'am.
17:28We'd like to confirm that the details of her Tin on the ID presented is consistent with that in our system.
17:36Thank you, ma'am.
17:37Thank you very much, Attorney Tibayan, for validating Ms. Merly's Tin number and the information that the Tin number used for her as a Di Umanong co-incorporator of Hong Sheng doesn't belong to any individual.
17:54So, it's just an invented number.
17:56It's not the number of other taxpayers of our Republic.
18:01Okay, so good for that to be made of record, Ms. Merly.
18:04Ms. Merly, and in the hearing of DOJ, Iaka, I hope you are more confident to consider the advice of USEC-T to clear your name.
18:19Thank you, Ms. Merly.
18:20Thank you, Sen. Sherwin.
18:21Thank you.
18:22Thank you, Madam Chairman.
18:23But that will prove that these syndicates don't care to put their names and who they are.
18:35And if they are caught, they will not be caught and will be charged with no bailable offense, these innocent people.
18:45That's why I will go to the PAG Corps because under your guidelines, you have a probity check.
18:52If we went to the houses one by one and we saw that they don't have a way to invest in POGO, why didn't the PAG Corps do it?
19:02And what happened now, because you didn't do the probity check, these people like Merly will be charged.
19:09The syndicates are free. Others are still here in the Philippines.
19:15So a simple inspection that will help prevent Merly and her associates from being charged, why didn't the PAG Corps do it?
19:23It's in your guidelines. There's a probity check in the guidelines.
19:31You violated your own guidelines.
19:36Yes, sir.
19:38This is one of the things that we are addressing.
19:41The addresses of the incorporators are being checked one by one.
19:47Because in the previous probity check that was done, it only includes the documentations, the documents of the corporation,
19:58as well as the cases or check on world databases if they are involved in whatever kinds of activities.
20:08That's just a probity check. If it's all about documents, that's also a probity check.
20:14Sir, we are also talking to the third party probity checker to include such kind of checks.
20:21Who is the third party probity checker?
20:24We have three.
20:26Why didn't the PAG Corps do it themselves?
20:30Now, the PAG Corps is doing it themselves.
20:33Why are we still outsourcing probity checkers? Maybe they can still talk to each other.
20:38Yes, sir.
20:39You should also do a probity check.
20:42Yes, sir. You're right.
20:44Now, we are addressing this problem.
20:49Even all of the addresses that are included in the Articles of Incorporation and declared in the personal disclosure sheets of these incorporators,
20:58they are being checked one by one to determine if the incorporator is existent or if the incorporator really has the ability to invest in such kind of business.
21:13But this incident is the same with Lucky South 99.
21:18In the Provincial Government Investigation, they also have a so-called person.
21:26The answer is the same.
21:28So, in other words, this is not just in Banban Pogo Hub.
21:33We can also see this in Pampanga Pogo Hub and other Pogo Hubs.
21:38So, we are here because the probity check failed.
21:44Therefore, the regulation also failed.
21:46This wouldn't have happened if you went one by one.
21:50We did this in one day, to be honest about it.
21:53Why didn't you do it?
21:54So, that's an issue that PAG Corps needs to address ASAP.
22:03Yes, Mr. Senator.
22:08Thank you.