Rappler
Acorda denies POGO ties: ‘I never tolerated illegal activities’
Retired Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. denied allegations linking him to illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).
Acorda stated that suspicions he was referred to by a Pagcor official should be dismissed, highlighting that the POGO hub in Bamban, Tarlac was raided during his tenure as PNP chief.
He asserted that he led the operation in Bamban and had no dealings or negotiations related to POGOs, adding that he never tolerated or transacted illegal activities with friends.
Acorda also explicitly denied any involvement with Alice Guo, stating he is "clean" and did not receive any money from her or have knowledge of her escape.
His denial comes after photos surfaced during a Senate probe showing him with individuals connected to POGO investigations, including Chinese businessman Tony Yang, who was arrested last week for being an undesirable alien, and Alice Guo's brother, Wesley.
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Former PNP chief Benjamin Acorda Jr. faced scrutiny during a Senate hearing regarding photos of him with individuals linked to POGO operations.
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PAGCOR senior vice president Raul Villanueva admitted that his claim about a former PNP chief accepting bribes from illegal POGOs was purely gossip.
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The Philippine National Police (PNP) is investigating 24 of its former chiefs following an allegation that one of them might have assisted dismissed Mayor Alice Guo and her group in escaping the country.
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Dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo declared herself a "victim" in the illegal POGO case during a closed-door Senate executive session, claiming she is not the mastermind.
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A Valenzuela court permitted former Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo to attend the House of Representatives' Quad Committee investigation into illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) on September 19.
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