"Under the Anti-Money Laundering Act, the penalties for money laundering include imprisonment. For clauses A, B, and C, each charge carries a prison term of 7 to 14 years," AMLC lawyer Adrian Arpon said in front of the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights.
The AMLC, in conjunction with the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), has filed 87 money laundering charges against Hua Ping Guo, her sister Shiela Guo, Cassandra Li Ong, and 28 others, accusing them of involvement in the operations of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO).
After receiving confirmation from Arpon, Senator Minority Deputy Leader Risa Hontiveros informed Shiela Guo at the start of the meeting that she and the other defendants could face more than a lifetime in prison if found guilty.
"So, even if we calculate the minimum sentence of 7 years multiplied by 87 charges, it's a considerable amount of time. How many years is that? About 560 years? Almost. This already exceeds the length of a human lifespan, even if calculated at the minimum sentence of 7 years per charge," Hontiveros said.
"Please consider seriously the response given to us by the AMLC, Miss Shiela," she said.
Hontiveros stated at the beginning of the hearing that she hoped the panel would soon discover who assisted the Guo sisters and Ms. Wang in establishing and connecting with POGO.
"We are gradually seeing the full scope of the criminal activities of this dismissed mayor. We will also soon find out who helped, enriched, and enabled her to implement these activities, who sheltered her over the past few months and weeks," she said.
Meanwhile, Ms. Wang was unable to attend the second hearing due to a sudden drop in blood pressure during the Quadcomm hearing in the House of Representatives.
Arturo Felix Catarata, Secretary of the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs, stated in a letter to the Senate subcommittee that they had approved the Senate's request for Ms. Wang's attendance at the hearing, but she could not attend due to health reasons.
"During our public hearing today, Ms. Wang's blood sugar and blood pressure dropped very low, and the joint committee decided to suspend the hearing based on the advice of the House medical staff and excuse her from testifying," the letter said.
Catarata mentioned that doctors recommended hospital treatment for Ms. Wang, which might take two to three days to stabilize her health condition.
