Former Cebu City mayor Tomas Osmeña. | File
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Former Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña said he was still “not sure” about attending a joint committee hearing at the House of Representatives on September 19, 2024.
Osmeña has been invited to provide insights into a recent raid on illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) site and the ongoing investigations into extrajudicial killings (EJKs).
In response to a text message from CDN Digital on Wednesday, September 18, asking for confirmation of his participation on Thursday, Osmeña replied, “Not sure.”
Osmeña, who has been summoned by the Joint Committee on Dangerous Drugs, Public Order and Safety, Human Rights, and Public Accounts, has yet to confirm his participation. “No comments for now,” he said on September 17.
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The committee seeks his testimony on the August 8 raid in Sitio Kadulang, Barangay Marigondon, Lapu-Lapu City, where authorities uncovered a large illegal POGO operation.
The operation led to the rescue of 162 foreign nationals, including 83 Chinese, 70 Indonesians, six Myanmar nationals, one Malaysian, and two Taiwanese, allegedly involved in illegal scamming activities. The POGO hub operated inside the Tourist Garden Hotel.
Osmeña, a long-standing figure in Cebu politics, was invited as a resource person to shed light on the raid and provide vital information for potential legislation addressing the rise of illegal POGOs and their suspected links to EJKs.
Despite his involvement in Cebu’s governance and extensive experience, Osmeña’s attendance remains uncertain.
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In the meantime, the committee has been gathering testimonies from various stakeholders, to formulate policy responses to illegal POGO activities and the broader issue of EJKs in the region.
The invitation to Osmeña is part of a broader investigation that recently involved Police Colonel Royina Garma, former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) general manager and former Cebu City Police Office director.
Garma was detained for contempt after providing evasive responses related to the extrajudicial killings of three convicted Chinese drug lords in 2016.