Task force formed

CEBU, Philippines — Interior Secretary Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos yesterday assured fairness would be observed in the creation of a task force to investigate the possible involvement of by Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan and other Lapu-Lapu City officials and even the local police in the operation of an alleged Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) in the city.

In a phone interview with The Freeman yesterday, Abalos said he cannot give the details but confirmed he already issued a memorandum to create a task force to investigate the possible involvement of local officials of Lapu-Lapu City.

“Regarding Mayor Chan sa Mactan (Lapu-Lapu City), I’ve already authorized the legal (team to create a task force to investigate this issue,” he said.

“I think even the police dyan, ipapa-investigate din,” he added.

He also belied insinuations that the national government is seemingly silent on the recent incident in Lapu-Lapu City, when a POGO was raided inside a resort last Aug. 31.

“No, no, no, no definitely hindi (silent) because these are illegal (POGO).... Walang mga lisensya mga yan, lalo na mga ganyan,” he said.

Abalos said the memorandum circular which he issued earlier indicated that a thorough investigation should be done.

“Iisa-isahin even the license division, and everyone in the city…Everyone is being investigated,” he said.

Meanwhile, Department of Interior and Local Government Unit Undersecretary Juan Victor “JV” Llamas of the External, Legal and Legislative Affairs, in a separate interview with The Freeman also yesterday, confirmed the conduct of such investigation.

Llamas said the memo was issued last Sept. 4, yet, or just a few days after raid on the Tourist Garden Hotel resort in Brgy. Agus, Lapu-Lapu City last Aug. 31.

A few days after the raid and rescue of over 160 foreign nationals, Chan denied tapping the POGO hub’s boss, Zhao Shouqui, as his consultant on Chinese business.

Chan said the ID which had Zhao’s name and position as his consultant was fake while a picture of him together with Zhao who at that time was wearing the same ID was allegedly altered.

Zhao, a Chinese, was one of 16 foreign nationals that the National Bureau of Investigation sued over the raided POGO hub.

Zhao was tagged as the “boss” of the operation and the president of the Tourist Garden Hotel (that had turned into an allege POGO hub) as well as the “Lapu-Lapu City Chinese Guild.”

He, in fact, interacted with Chan a few times in the past, even donating computer sets and other materials to the City of Lapu-Lapu in the past under Chan’s administration.

“Merong in-issue upon the instruction of Secretary Abalos…Nag issue siya ng department order that was dated September 4 pa…. Syempre di naman namin ina-anounce nationwide,” Llamas said.

“This is a task force created specifically to investigate the possible involvement ng mga local government officials sa Lapu-Lapu City. Meron ng na-issue, meron kaming mga lawyers na na-assign diyan. Hindi ina-announce kasi nag-i-ivestigate pa kasi…. Merong task force,” Llamas said.

He, however, could not yet give any other details yet as “ongoing pa yung investigation”, which is done coordination with the Philippine National Police (PNP).

“Kasi police yung nag-raid dito kaya may close coordination din kami sa kanila,” Llamas said.

He also denied any special treatment of Chan on the matter.

“Hindi, hindi, hindi. Even the Lapu-Lapu police is also being investigated by the higher hierarchy of the PNP…I just want to clarify ano, merong department order creating a task force, September 4 pa ito signed by Secretary Abalos to investigate the possible involvement of local officials of Lapu-Lapu City,” Llamas said

He said, though, that while the investigation is ongoing, they cannot impose any preventive suspension on Chan and other concerned local officials.

“Gusto ko lang i-clear yan….Tulad ng sinasabi namin even before pa, na ang DILG kasi, wala kaming authority—as disciplining authority, hindi kami yung mag-preventive suspension…. Ombudsman kasi yan. In this case, pwedeng Ombudsman, or Office of the President,” Llamas said.

Whatever the results of the investigation, he said, the DILG will forward the findings to the Office of the Ombudsman or to the Office of the President for action. — /RHM (FREEMAN)