Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa confronted PAGCOR Senior Vice President Raul Villanueva during a Senate Committee on Women and Children hearing, after Villanueva previously shared unverified information alleging that a former PNP chief benefited from a monthly payroll tied to Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGO).
Dela Rosa, referencing PNP CIDG Police Major General Leo Francisco, asserted that the information Villanueva revealed was mere gossip.
In response, Villanueva clarified that he had mentioned during a previous hearing that the information was not confirmed and lacked intelligence data.
He admitted that he did not receive any verification, as PAGCOR had been focused on assisting authorities in tracking down illegal POGO activities in the provinces.
Villanueva publicly apologized for sharing the unverified information, but Dela Rosa stressed that Villanueva should learn not to disclose unverified details to the public.
He reminded Villanueva, who formerly served as the chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ intelligence service, of the importance of verifying information before making public statements.
Despite the confrontation, Dela Rosa praised Villanueva for apologizing, calling him an “officer and gentleman” for admitting his mistake.