Money laundering complaint filed vs. Alice Guo, others

A total of 87 counts of money laundering were filed against dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo and 35 others at the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Friday about the raided POGO hubs in Bamban and Porac, Pampanga.

LOOK: Authorities arrive at the DOJ to file a money laundering complaint against dismissed Bamban Mayor Alice Guo and others @gmanews @gmanewsbreaking pic.twitter.com/2gSiWnstao

— Joahna Lei Casilao (@joahnacasilao) August 30, 2024
 

In a press conference, Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) Deputy Director Adrian Arpon said that the cases involved around P7 billion.

“We have included Alice Guo. Based on our findings, she is the principal in the money laundering committed in this case. She used several entities in transferring her money. It went to an entity,” Arpon said.

“Ultimately, it ended up with Baofu to pay, among others, electric bills,” he added.

The complainants are the AMLC, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC). 

Named respondents are Guo; Shiela Guo, the former mayor’s purported sister;  Cassandra Li Ong, the authorized representative of the Porac POGO hub; and former Technology and Livelihood Resource Center (TLRC) deputy director general Dennis Cunanan, among others.

GMA News Online has sought comment from some of the respondents but has yet to receive a response as of posting time.

“Kung bakit po kasama si Cassandra, Cassie Ong, doon sa money laundering, ‘yun ay dahil base sa imbestigasyon na ginawa ng NBI, AMLC, and PAOCC, totoo nga. May ebidensya na ang Bamban at Porac POGO hubs ay iisa ang mga personalities na involved,” Prosecutor Benjamin Samson said.

(Cassandra Ong is included based on the evidence of the NBI, AMLC, and PAOCC, it is true. There is evidence that the Bamban and Porac POGO hubs involve the same personalities.) 

PAOCC spokesperson Winston Casio said they believe the scamming proceeds from the Lucky South 99, the raided POGO in Porac, were used to build up the POGO hub in Bamban.

“The money that was used to basically build Zun Yuan from May to early 2021 was actually emanating from the scamming proceeds of Lucky South 99,” he said.

Meanwhile, Samson said that Shiela Guo is among the respondents as she is an incorporator in the many corporations of the Guo family. 

“At base sa imbestigasyon ng AMLC, ‘yung mga corporations ng pamilya Guo ay involved sa money laundering. So dahil ina-apply ang principle ng conspiracy dito sa kasong ito, naturally kasama ‘yung buong pamilya,” he said.

(And based on the AMLC's investigation, the corporations of the Guo family were involved in money laundering. So because we are applying the principle of conspiracy, naturally her family is included.)

Arpon also stressed that this is the first of many complaints that will be filed.

Justice Undersecretary Jesse Andres said that authorities believe they have a “very strong and airtight case." 

“We believe that we have a very strong and airtight case of money laundering against the three named respondents,” Andres said.

“But of course, there will be due process afforded for all of these respondents for them to be given their opportunity to explain their side,” he added.

Meanwhile, Andres said the filing is a big deterrent for others to think twice before conducting criminal activities.

Jakarta

Meanwhile, Justice Undersecretary Nicky Ty said that based on the latest information they received, Guo is still in Jakarta.

“May mga sightings ano, may mga nakita akong mga litrato galing sa CCTV na nakita siya sa isang… lugar sa Jakarta,” Ty said..

Guo and her siblings have been reportedly out of the country since July despite a standing Immigration Lookout Bulletin Order issued against them.

According to Shiela Guo she, Alice Guo, and their supposed brother Wesley Guo left the country by riding several boats. 

The BI said that Guo was reported to be in Jakarta as of August 26. 

Andres said authorities also requested a blue notice from the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) against Guo.  

According to Interpol, a blue notice is issued to “collect additional information about a person’s identity, location or activities in relation to a criminal investigation.”

Andres added they would file a request for a red notice against Guo once cases are filed against her in court. 

“As soon as this case is completed with respect to preliminary investigation at maisampa ang kaso sa korte (and the cases is filed in court), we will proceed to the next stage which is a red notice,” he said. 

A red notice is a request for law enforcement worldwide to locate and arrest a person pending his extradition, surrender, or similar legal action.

Freeze order

Meanwhile, Arpon said the freeze order issued against Guo and two others was extended until January 2025.

“Na-extend po ‘yung freeze order hanggang maximum period of six months po (the freeze order was extended for a maximum period of six months),” he said.

In July, the CA ordered the freezing of the bank accounts and personal assets of Guo, Zhiyang Huang, and Baoying Lin for alleged involvement in illegal activities.

The AMLC said the freeze order covered 90 bank accounts in 14 financial institutions, several real estate properties, and high-value personal properties like luxury vehicles, and a helicopter. 

Aside from this, Guo is facing a human trafficking complaint concerning the raided POGO hub before the DOJ. A petition seeking to remove Alice Guo from office has also been filed before a Manila court.—LDF, GMA Integrated News