Money laundering case filed vs Alice Guo, 35 others

Complaints for 87 counts of money laundering amounting to P7 billion were filed yesterday against dismissed Bamban mayor Alice Guo, her purported sister Shiela, business partner Cassandra Li Ong and 33 others.

- DAPHNE GALVEZ

The complaint was filed by the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission and the National Bureau of Investigation before the Department of Justice (DOJ) .

Other respondents include the sisters’ father Jian Zhong Guo, also known as Angelito Guo and Angelito dela Cruz; their mother Lin Wenyi, also known as Wen Yi Lin; Seimen Guo, Amelia Leal and former Technology and Livelihood Resource Center deputy director general Dennis Cunanan.

According to AMLC deputy director Adrian Arpon, they found Alice Guo to be “the principal in the money laundering committed,” using several entities in transferring money.

Ultimately, the money ended up in the real estate company Baofu Land Corp., where Guo was a shareholder and which leased a property to the Hongsheng/Zun Yuan Technology, the Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) raided in Bamban over human trafficking and other alleged crimes.

In the 105-page complaint, the agencies alleged that the respondents collaborated in committing various crimes and other illegal activities and each of them played a significant role in the illegal POGO operations.

It also said the dozen businesses under Guo’s name were aimed to hide the true nature of their businesses and make it appear that they are engaged in legitimate activities.

“Alice Guo and her cohorts intended to create layers and layers of corporations to make it appear that they were engaged in profitable and legitimate businesses, but in fact, they are not,” the complaint read.

The complainants also said Guo never divested all of her shares in Baofu. The dismissed mayor also did not declare 12 vehicles in her statement of assets, liabilities and net worth.

Guo, as the representative of Hongsheng, also allegedly facilitated the issuance of a Sangguniang Bayan Resolution which did not object to Hongsheng’s application to operate.