DOJ to file human trafficking raps vs Alice Guo, says PAOCC

Department of Justice (DOJ) prosecutors have approved the filing of charges against dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo and several others for qualified human trafficking, the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) said Friday.

"Our task group will file the information in Capas, Tarlac next week," said PAOCC spokesperson Winston Casio said on X (formerly Twitter).

In a press conference, Justice Undersecretary Nicky Ty said that under the law, individuals who organize an establishment engaged in human trafficking may be held accountable for human trafficking.

"So 'yung depensa ng kampo ni Alice Guo at ng iba pang mga respondent na hindi naman sila 'yung nag-recruit, hindi sila 'yung nanakit, hindi sila nag-torture o kung anu-ano man ng biktima ng human trafficking, hindi uubra 'yan sa bagong batas natin," Ty said.

(The defense of Alice Guo's camp and other respondents is that they didn't recruit, didn't harm, didn't torture, or commit any other human trafficking offenses against the victims, this won't fly under our new law.)

"Basta mapakita na may kinalaman ka sa pagtayo o pag-organize ng isang kumpanya na nadawit sa human trafficking, maaari kang makasuhan ng human trafficking," he added.

(As long as it is shown that you have a connection to the establishment or organization of a company involved in human trafficking, you can be charged with human trafficking.)

Aside from Guo, Ty said the DOJ will also file charges against Zhang Ruijin, Lin Baoying, and Huang Zhiyang, whom the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) had identified as the so-called boss of all bosses of illegal POGOs.

Also included was former Technology and Livelihood Resource Center (TLRC) deputy director general Dennis Cunanan, as well as other incorporators, according to Ty.

For his part, Casio said that the trafficking in persons would not have happened if the "foreign financiers" and "partners" of Guo did not come into the picture.

"The crimes that are alleged to have been committed by Alice Guo [would] not have happened if these people did not enable her through their finances. So very important na makasuhan din sila," Casio said.

Meanwhile, Ty declined to name all respondents, saying this may prompt them to run from the law.

"Hindi muna namin sasabihin lahat dahil may risk, 'no, baka may flight risk kung malaman nila na kasama sila sa mga nakasuhan at hindi pa sila kasama sa ILBO na in-issue ni [Justice] Secretary [Jesus Crispin] Remulla sa BI," Ty said.

(We won't reveal everything yet because there's a risk, in case they find out they're included in the charges and haven't been listed in the ILBO issued by Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla to the BI.)

Meanwhile, Cunanan's lawyer Je Clerigo said his client's camp has yet to receive a copy of the DOJ resolution on the matter.

"Our comment is, this is totally unexpected because, if you read the Complaint in all of the cases in the DOJ, there is absolutely no evidence that Dennis is a conspirator in any conspiracy," Clerigo said.

GMA News Online has sought comment from Guo's camp but has yet to receive a response as of posting time.

PAOCC and the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) filed the complaint against Guo in June. It was submitted for resolution on August 6.

Guo later filed a motion to reopen the investigation and admit her counter-affidavit, which her camp filed on August 16 and then refiled on September 6.

The counter affidavit was notarized on August 14 in San Jose Del Monte City, Bulacan. The lawyer who notarized it, however, has admitted to notarizing the document even though Guo did not personally swear before him.

According to Ty, the prosecutors did not give mind to the counter affidavit submitted by Guo.

"Alam naman natin kung bakit, ano? Dahil lumalabas talaga na hindi siya humarap sa notaryo publiko. At bukod doon 'no, kasi hindi naman talaga general rule na puwede sa notaryong publiko eh," Ty said.

(We all know why, right? It's because she really didn't show up in front of a notary public. And aside from that, it's not a general rule that it can be done with a notary public anyway.)

Ty also said that the complaint could have been resolved sooner but there were many "delaying tactics," especially on the part of Guo's lawyers.

"Tuwing mga preliminary investigation, 'yung mga abugado niya humihiling ng extension o ng resetting dahil hindi daw maka-appear si Alice Guo dahil natatakot o dahil gusto niya bantayan 'yung kanyang mental health," he said.

Guo supposedly left the country on July 18. The DOJ's preliminary probe was held on July 5, July 22, and August 6.

Meanwhile, Ty said this will be the template for future cases.

"Tingin ko sa mga susunod na araw kung madami pa tayong mga kasong ifa-file, itong ginawa ng team sa Bamban, 'no, sa pamumuno ni Chief Benjie, ito magiging template sa mga future cases," Ty said.

(I think that in the coming days, if we have more cases to file, the work done by the team in Bamban, under the leadership of Chief Benjie, will serve as a template for future cases.)

Aside from this, Guo is also facing a graft case before a Tarlac court and a money laundering complaint before the DOJ.

The graft case was transferred to a Valenzuela court earlier.

Guo was arrested in Indonesia on September 4 and was brought back to the Philippines on September 6.

In a separate Senate investigation last August 27, Guo's supposed sister, Shiela Guo, told the senators that they left the Philippines by riding several boats.

READ: TIMELINE: The escape of Alice Guo and her siblings

Alice Guo confirmed this during Monday’s Senate hearing, saying they left the Philippines through boats, one of which was a yacht. —KBK/VDV, GMA Integrated News