POGO hub raid update: NBI to summon Cebu businessman

Agus hotel owner will be asked to shed light on the lease deal with alleged POGO hub owner

The National Bureau of Investigation Cebu District Office (NBI CEBDO) will summon a Cebu businessman next week to shed light on the lease of his hotel and the alleged POGO hub owner. | Mary Rose Sagarino

MANDAUE CITY, Philippines — A Cebuano businessman will be summoned by the National Bureau of Investigation Cebu District Office (NBI CEBDO) to confirm his ownership of the Tourist Garden Hotel in Barangay Agus, Lapu-Lapu City where the recently raided POGO hub was located.

Agent Arnel Pura, NBI CEBDO head, on Friday, Nov. 8, said that the reputable businessman would be summoned next week to clarify details of the contract of lease between Chinese national Zhao Shou Qi, the alleged owner of the POGO hub.

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The lease contract was found when they opened the seven vaults inside the office of Zhao Shou Qi last Tuesday, Nov. 5.

The hotel and the whole compound has an area of almost 1.6 hectare. It was leased since 2018 with an annual rent of P6 million and a rental bond of P30 million, the lease will last until 2048.

“Based sa amoang preliminary reading sa contract of lease, nakabutang didto nga the property should not be used for illegal purposes. So, if the lessee will use it for illegal purpose, automatic maend ang contract and at the same time ang bond some sort of security guarantee will be forfeited in favor of the lessor,” said Pura.

Pura said that there was no indication that the owner was frequenting the premises in the course of the operation of POGO.

Pura said the owner would be called to clarify things and for the NBI to secure an affidavit from him.

Pura said that at the time of the lease only the hotel building was the facility inside the compound, and then Zhao Shou Qi constructed additional facilities such another building to house POGO, restaurants and KTV among others.

Aside from the lease documents, NBI CEBDO personnel were also able find P400,000 of cash.

This will be added to the P8.2 million cash confiscated during the rescue operation to bolster the criminal charges and pending anti-money laundering case against 17 individuals linked to Pogo activities including Zhao Shou Qi and his son Zhao Long, Pura said.

The NBI Cebdo head said that the confiscated items were under their custody after the court granted the request of custody to strengthen the money laundering case that they intended to file.

Before it, the items were returned and presented before the court last November 6, in compliance with court procedure.

The Tourist Garden Hotel was raided last August 31, wherein 169 foreign nationals were rescued.

The Trial of the 17 accused individuals will begin on January 27, 2025.