Alice Guo charged in court for trafficking

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Justice (DOJ) has formally charged dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo for trafficking.

The DOJ filed the trafficking case with the Pasig City Regional Trial Court (RTC) on Tuesday afternoon, September 17. Once raffled to a branch, the presiding judge will decide whether or not to issue a warrant of arrest against the dismissed mayor. Trafficking is a non-bailable offense.

Guo’s trafficking case stemmed from the complaint filed by the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission and the Philippine National Police (PNP) against Guo and 13 others back in June over their ties with a Bamban Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO). Guo was specifically implicated due to her incorporation of a leasing company called Baofu, which rented its spaces out to a POGO called HongSheng/Zun Yuan.

Evidence of torture and trafficking were found at the POGO.

The trafficking case was originally lodged in Capas, Tarlac, but the DOJ asked the Supreme Court (SC) to allow the transfer of the case to Metro Manila. In requesting the transfer, the DOJ cited the “pressing need to safeguard national interest and ensure fairness in the justice system considering these high-profile cases exceed local boundaries which affect national security and general policies.”

The SC granted the DOJ’s request and ordered Capas, Tarlac Branch 66 to transfer all the files related to the cases to the Pasig City RTC.

In indicting Guo, DOJ Undersecretary Nicholas Felix Ty explained that under the latest amendment to the anti-trafficking law, specifically section 4(l), organizing an establishment engaged in human trafficking is punishable: “Doon talaga nadawit si [dismissed] mayor Guo at sa mga ibang co-respondent niya…. Kung mapakita na ikaw ang nag-organize ng isang negosyo na may madaming ganap na human trafficking, maaari kang kasuhan.”

(This is where dismissed mayor Guo and her co-respondents were implicated. If it’s proven that you organized a business where human trafficking cases incidents happened, you can be charged.)

The trafficking case is the lawsuit the senators have been waiting for. After the announcement of Guo’s escape in August, Senator Raffy Tulfo said that if the only case had been processed faster and a warrant issued, it could have deterred Guo from escaping. The DOJ explained that although they wanted a fast resolution of Guo’s trafficking complaint, it said it cannot just strong-arm the process.

Guo is currently detained at the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center after a Tarlac court issued an arrest warrant against her in relation to the graft case filed by the interior department. She did not post bail so she remained under police custody.

Before the Tarlac court issued the warrant, the Senate had already ordered Guo’s arrest but this did not stop Guo from escaping. Guo was arrested in Indonesia and was deported to the Philippines on September 6 and has since been in PNP custody.

Aside from trafficking and graft, Guo also faces two criminal investigations at the DOJ for tax evasion, and another one for money laundering. These are all related to her alleged ties with the Bamban POGO. – Rappler.com