Guo charged with 62 counts of money laundering

The Department of Justice-National Prosecution Service (DOJ-NPS) has recommended the filing of money laundering charges against dismissed Bamban mayor Alice Guo for allegedly running criminal activities inside the Baofu compound in her town.

- EVELYN MACAIRAN

In a 49-page resolution, a panel of prosecutors from the DOJ-NPS recommended the filing against Guo, also known as Guo Hua Ping, of 26 counts of money laundering under Section 4 (a) of Republic Act 9160 (Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2001), five counts of money laundering under Section 4 (b) of RA 9160 as amended by RA 10365 (An Act Further Strengthening the Anti-Money Laundering Law) and 31 counts of violation of Section 4 (d) of RA 9160 as amended by RA 10365.

In the 31 counts of money laundering, named respondents were Guo and 30 others, including Jian Zhong Guo, also known as Angelito Guo and Angelito dela Cruz Guo; Lin Wenyi, a.k.a. Wen Yi Lin and Amelia Leal; Shiela Leal Guo, a.k.a. Mier Zhang; Seimen Leal Guo; Zhiyang Huang, a.k.a. Boss Wang, and Rachelle Joan Carreon.

The DOJ-NPS explained that the elements of money laundering – the existence of unlawful activity, monetary instrument or property that represents proceeds of the unlawful activity, performance of acts pertaining to the proceeds and property and knowledge of the unlawful activity – were present in the case.

“Upon judicious evaluation and consideration of all the documentary evidence and totality of circumstances presented vis-à-vis the respondents’ arguments and defenses, the undersigned investigating panel is convinced that there exists prima facie cases for money laundering with reasonable certainty of conviction of respondents found to be involved in its complex web of commission,” the DOJ-NPS said in its resolution.

It added that Guo’s involvement in “the grand scheme cannot be overemphasized.”

“She appears to be its brainchild and/or architect,” the DOJ-NPS said.

Guo is the president of Baofu Land Development, which has been the subject of three search warrants reportedly because of online gambling, internet fraud and other cybercrime operations conducted by Hongsheng.