Philippine authorities have filed a serious human trafficking complaint with the Department of Justice (DOJ) against suspended mayor of Bamban City in Tarlac province, Alice Guo. The complaint was filed recently by the Presidential Commission against Organized Crime (PAOCC) and the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG).
The Department of Justice accepted a complaint against Guo, also known as "Guo Hua Ping", and several others for violating Sections 4 and 6 of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003, Republic Act (RA) 9208 of the Philippines, which The law was revised by RA 10364 and RA 11862.
The complaint also names former Technology and Livelihoods Resource Center (TLRC) deputy director-general Dennis Cunanan, 12 officials and founders of the three companies, and Guo's alleged business partners Huang Zhiyang, Zhang Ruijin and Li Baoying.
The charges stem from a March raid on Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) hub Zun Yuan Technology Inc. PAOCC submitted two boxes of documents as evidence.
Nicholas Ty, Deputy Minister of Justice and Chairman of the Anti-Human Trafficking Committee, said at a press conference: "Evidence shows that, for example, she applied for local government permission to open a former POGO and was involved in leasing companies. Her name also appeared on POGO premises found in various documents.”
Ty mentioned that as further evidence is gathered, more lawsuits may be filed against Guo and others. Philippine state prosecutor Benjamin Samson said authorities believed Cunanan was part of a "larger conspiracy."
“We discovered that Zunyuan’s business started with a company called Baofu and then established another company. At one company, we found a document with Mr. Dennis Cunanan’s name on it. After collecting evidence, we concluded Conclusion, he was part of a larger labor trafficking conspiracy," he said.
Ty said the Justice Department is processing an Immigration Watch Proclamation Order (ILBO) against Guo and hopes it will be signed by Attorney General Jesus Crispin Remulla next week.
"We cannot deny that anyone accused of a crime is a flight risk, especially those with the resources to leave the country. However, Mayor Guo and her representatives have stated that she wants to face these charges," Ty said.
Meanwhile, Major General Leo Francisco, chief of the Criminal Investigation Bureau of the Philippine National Police, promised to intensify efforts against illegal POGOs.
He said: “We are working with the PAOCC and other law enforcement agencies to intensify the crackdown on these illegal POGOs, and the PNP, especially the PNP-CIDG, is united in this effort.
