Zhao Shouqui—the owner of the alleged Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) hub in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu—acknowledged trying to transfer at least P1-million to a Filipino officer after they were apprehended by law enforcement authorities in late August.
At the resumption of the Senate hearing on the issue on Tuesday, Zhao claimed an offer was made, but insisted it was not an attempted bribery. He was trying to broker a ‘separate arrangement’ with law enforcement authorities for his ‘weak’ 70-year-old wife and granddaughter, who was a minor.
Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros raised the issue after hearing his granddaughter asking operatives from the Philippine Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) if they can ‘fix’ their situation, based on media reports.
“What I wanted to do is because my wife, her body was weak, I wanted to have a separate arrangement for my wife and my granddaughter,” Zhao explained through an interpreter. He said the money belonged to his son, Zhao Long, who was also present at the Senate hearing.
“Actually, this money, they were looking for this and the Filipino worker was able to find it and then he submitted this money for safekeeping. So, it was not a bribe but it was like transferring this money to this person for safekeeping,” the elder Zhao added.
Hontiveros, however, could not look at it other than a bribery attempt—a perspective shared by PAOCC spokesperson Winston Casio. “There is no other way to interpret that, ma’am, because they attempted three times,” he told the senator.
“It is still what we call a ‘bribe’—offering money to Philippine government personnel, who are perfectly capable to suddenly turn humanitarian towards a senior citizen or a minor, in exchange for a special consideration—one million pesos,” Hontiveros.
Zhao also acknowledged sponsoring activities or donating computers to government officials while he was operating his businesses. He and his son were among the 169 foreign nationals that were nabbed on August 31.
The Zhaos were reportedly engaged with the Lapu-Lapu City Philippines Tourism Ethnic Chinese Guild and the Tourist Garden Hotel, which is linked to the operations of Lucky South 99, the raided POGO hub in Porac, Pampanga.
