SENATOR Risa Hontiveros, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality, has urged the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to arrange a meeting with Chinese-Cambodian businessman She Zhijiang, known for his extensive gambling investments across Southeast Asia, including Cambodia, the Philippines, and Myanmar.
Hontiveros made the request during a public hearing on Tuesday, October 8, 2024, following claims by She Zhijiang’s cellmate, Wang Fugui, that former Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo, also known as Guo Hua Ping, was allegedly involved in espionage activities for China.
“The committee makes of record that it does not necessarily endorse the comments on the illegality of the arrest of Mr. She or its motivations geopolitical or otherwise. However, if our national security is implicated, it is our responsibility to listen and to investigate further. Ignoring these questions that strike at the heart of our national security would be the height of folly,” Hontiveros stated in a mix of Filipino and English.
The senator highlighted that the committee had validated verifiable claims in both the Al Jazeera video and Wang Fugui’s statement, including She Zhijiang’s travel records and his deep ties to the Philippines.
“This is clear as day: The Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) used local government units’ (LGUs) officials and law enforcement. There are indications that they were also used by foreign interests, and nests of syndicates,” Hontiveros added.
She Zhijiang is currently detained in Thailand and is fighting extradition to China on charges related to operating online gambling sites.
Hontiveros’ call for a DFA probe into the alleged spy links of She Zhijiang and former Mayor Guo underscores the growing concern over the potential security risks associated with the POGO industry and its connections to foreign interests.
