ALICE GUO, 7 OTHERS GET LIFE FOR HUMAN TRAFFICIKING OVER TARLAC POGO

OUSTED Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo and seven others were found guilty for qualified human trafficking by the Pasig City Regional Trial Court and were sentenced to reclusion perpetua or life imprisonment.

The case stemmed from the alleged criminal activities discovered in an illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hub in her town.

The court also ordered Guo and her co-accused to pay the fine of P2 million on top of monetary reparations for the victims. 

The Baofu Compound, the site of the Chinese-operated online gambling center where hundreds of people were forced to run scams or risk torture, was also forfeited in favor of the government.

In March 2024, operatives raided the sprawling complex, which included office buildings, luxury villas and a large swimming pool after a Vietnamese worker was able to escape and sought police’ help.

More than 700 Filipinos, Chinese, Vietnamese, Malaysians, Taiwanese, Indonesians and Rwandans were found on site, along with documents allegedly showing that Guo was president of a company that owned the compound.

According to the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), Guo and three others had been convicted of “organizing trafficking” inside the compound.

Four more were found guilty of “acts of trafficking.”

Guo, along with her co-accused, did not appear in person during the promulgation of the decision on Thursday and attended only via videoconference.

Following the conviction, the Pasig City Regional Trial Court Branch 167 ordered Guo’s  immediate transfer from the Pasig City Jail to the Correctional Institute for Women in Mandaluyong City.

Meanwhile, Guo has filed a motion to remain at the Pasig City Jail’s female dormitory.

The motion is scheduled for a hearing on November 26.