Ex-Philippine Mayor Alice Guo gets life sentence for human trafficking

A PHILIPPINE TRIAL COURT on Thursday sentenced dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice L. Guo, who is accused of having ties to Chinese criminal syndicates, to life imprisonment after finding her guilty of qualified human trafficking, a government anti-crime agency said on Thursday.

- By Erika Mae P. Sinaking

ALICE GUO

(PHILIPPINE STAR/RYAN BALDEMOR)

A Pasig court convicted Ms. Guo and three others for organizing trafficking inside the Baofu compound, according to Marvin dela Paz, communications chief and spokesperson for the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC).

“All guilty individuals are sentenced to life imprisonment and a fine of P2 million each per case, in addition to monetary reparations to the victims,” Mr. Dela Paz told reporters over Viber.

“The Baofu compound is also forfeited in favor of the government.” The multibillion-peso Baofu Land Development Compound allegedly harbored victims and facilitated recruitment for scams related to Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs).

The legal counsel for Alice Guo did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The court consolidated eight criminal cases involving qualified trafficking, stemming from alleged syndicated labor trafficking activities in Bamban, Tarlac, under the guise of three corporate entities: BAOFU Land Development, Inc., Hongsheng Gaming Technology, Inc., and Zun Yuan Technology, Inc.