Alice Guo sentenced to life imprisonment for qualified trafficking

A Pasig court on Thursday found former Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo guilty of qualified human trafficking and sentenced her to life imprisonment.

The information was shared by the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC).

Guo attended the promulgation online. She is detained at the Pasig City Jail Female Dormitory.

In a statement, PAOCC said the Pasig Regional Trial Court Branch 167 also sentenced Guo's co-accused Rachelle Malonzo Carreon, Jaimielyn Cruz, and Walter Wong Rong, Wang Weili, Wuli Dong, Nong Ding Chang, Lang Xu Po to life imprisonment.

They were also ordered to pay a fine of P2 million each per case on top of monetary reparations to the victim-complainants. 

The court also ordered the forfeiture of the P6-billion Baofu compound in the favor of the government as well as the permanent revocation of the registration of Baofu Land Development Inc., Hongsheng Gaming Technology Inc., and Zun Yuan Technology Inc..

"More than one year napakabilis po, binigay sa 'tin ang favorable decision. Convicted si Alice and seven accused. Life sentence at forfeited ang entire Baofu compound in favor of the government," said Deputy State Prosecutor Olivia Torrevillas.  

(After more than a year, the court gave us a favorable decision. Alice Guo and her seven co-accused were convicted and meted life sentence and the entire Baofu compound will be forfeited in favor of the government.)

Guo will be immediately transferred to the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong City while her co-accused will be detained at the National Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City.

Meanwhile, accused Thelma Barrogo Laranan, Rowena Gonzales Evangelista, Rit Sapnu Yturralde, Merlie Joy Manalo Castro, and Maybeline Requiro Millo were acquitted over the prosecution's failure to prove their guilt beyond reasonable doubt.

PAOCC

Meanwhile, the PAOCC hailed the decision as a "victory" for the government and the victims. 

"This is a victory not only for our office but sa lahat ng ahensya na nagtrabaho rito (for all the agencies who worked for it)," said PAOCC Executive Director Benjamin Acorda Jr.

"This is not just a victory for the government but a victory for the victims, for the community pati na rin sa ibang bansa dahil nakikita natin na sa ibang biktima, may mga foreigners," Acorda Jr. said.

(This is not just a victory for the government but a victory for the victims, for the community and the international community as some victims were foreigners.)

GMA Integrated News reached out to Guo's camp for comment and will publish it once available.

Guo and others were charged with violation of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003, as amended by the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2012 and the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2022.

The case is connected with the raid on a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hub in Guo’s town in June 2024, where over 800 Filipinos and foreigners were rescued.

In September 2024, Guo pleaded not guilty to the charges. Atty. Nicole Jamilla, one of her lawyers, said the embattled former mayor is firmly denying the allegations against her.—AOL, GMA Integrated News