SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian expressed grave concern over the recent death of two persons with links to controversial Bamban Mayor Alice Guo.

Speaking at the Kapihan sa Senado, Gatchalian noted the death of a certain Gilbert Mejia Flores who was reportedly an employee at the office of the civil registrar hinting at a possible connection to the facilitation of the birth certificate of Guo.

The senator also cited engineer Jim Turla who purportedly died of heart attack on May 17.

Gatchalian said Turla was the one who signed the building plans which allegedly came from China and constructed by Huali Builders in Binondo.

“Is it a coincidence that these people died? To be honest we don’t know. But it’s becoming a mystery to us because according to reports, Engineer Turla died due to a heart attack while the one who allegedly facilitated the birth certificate of Mayor Guo, according to his relatives died of suicide.

“However, police reports claimed some foul play which we really cannot tell because the relatives are saying otherwise. We don’t know the truth. It is a mystery for us because these people are the missing puzzle. Marami silang maibibigay na paglilinaw sana,” Gatchalian said.

“Ang paglaki at paglawak ng mga galamay nito (POGO) is really our concern. Penetrating the government, the judicial system, the law enforcement , the business sector and our political sector.

And now running into office possibly to use their influence and power for their criminal activities. Lahat yan nakakatakot isipin dahil baka sa susunod wala na tayong kontrol at tayo na ang kokontrolin ng POGO Web na ito. We need to stop them now.” Gatchalian emphasized.

The senator said only President Marcos Jr..can stop the operation of POGOs based on national security laws. \

“Only President Marcos Jr. can repeal or suspend the law due to national security threat. By mere executive action of the President, we can ban POGOs and stop their operations. May kanya-kanya na silang teritoryo. Wala ng takot dahil palaki na ng palaki ang mga galamay nila at palalim na ng palalim ang koneksyon sa gobyerno at mga awtoridad. I am appealing to President Marcos Jr. to please ban POGOs now,” Gatchalian said.

The same appeal was echoed by Senate Deputy Minority leader Risa Hontiveros who said a total POGO ban was the sentiment she got during the executive session when she met with officials from the NSC, Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP), and Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) in connection with the ongoing Senate investigation on the ills of POGO operations.

Hontiveros revealed that ISAFP reported the so-called “link analysis” of POGO operations, while the AMLC gave a briefing on the illegal revenue streams of the POGO industry.

“To be honest, AMLC is asking Congress to amend some gaps in the existing AMLC law so they can regulate and implement their jobs properly. Kulang daw ng ngipin sa ngayon ang batas dito. So they can do their job well,” Gatchalian said.

Hontiveros and Gatchalian said POGO is now becoming a national security threat as they expressed belief that only by stopping its operation in various parts of the country that the ‘syndicate’ connected to the POGO operations will be controlled.