The prosecutor team of the Department of Justice recommended filing 62 charges against former Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo for violating Republic Act No. 9160, the Anti-Money Laundering Act, in connection with the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) hub in her town.
The Department of Justice prosecutor team handled the lawsuits filed last year by the Anti-Money Laundering Council, the National Bureau of Investigation, and the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission against Guo and 35 others.
Justice Minister Jesus Crispin Remulla stated, "The decision has been made, and we cannot change it as we respect the work of our colleagues at the Department of Justice, the prosecutors, and the panel that made the decision. Therefore, we hope to proceed with the litigation process as soon as possible."
Of the 62 charges against Guo, 31 involve 30 other individuals, including Jian Zhong Guo (or Angelito Guo), Lin Wenyi (or Amelia Leal), Shiela Leal Guo, Siemen Leal Guo, Zhiyang Huang, Rachelle Joan Carreon, Baoying Lin, Ruiji Zhang, Thelma Laranan, and Walter Wong, among others.
According to the complaints submitted to the Department of Justice, it was found that Guo and her associated companies (Hongsheng Gaming Technology, Baofu Land Development Company, and Zunyuan Technology Company) were suspected of transferring funds from fraudulent sources through shell companies.
The investigation covered Guo's bank accounts and asset transactions from 2019 to 2024, amounting to billions of pesos. The investigation included her family's bank accounts and properties, the POGO companies' bank accounts, and related shell companies.
Assistant Secretary Mico Clavano stated, "The prosecutor team's investigation found that the proceeds of these illegal activities all originated from the reported business operations."
The money laundering complaint against attorney Cassandra Li Ong is still being processed. However, the cases of Jason Masuerte and Nancy Gamo were dismissed due to "lack of prima facie evidence and reasonable certainty of conviction."
Clavano added, "The dismissal of some cases again indicates insufficient preliminary evidence and reasonable certainty of conviction, reflecting also the necessity for reforms in the department."
