Alice Guo faces human trafficking complaint 

MANILA, Philippines — The government's anti-crime body and the police filed a criminal complaint against suspended Bamban Mayor Alice Guo before the Department of Justice on Friday in connection to the raided Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hub in her municipality. 

The complaint charges Guo and others with the non-bailable offense of qualified human trafficking. This was filed by the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission and the Philippine National Police - Criminal Investigation and Detection group. 

In a press briefing on Friday, Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) chairperson and Justice Undersecretary Nicky Ty said that multiple pieces of evidence have come out justifying the case, such as her application of [letter of no objection] from the local government and her involvement with the lesser company.

"Among the other evidence is her name appearing in several documents in the POGO compound," Ty said.

Ty added that they have also started to process the immigration lookout bulletin order against Guo, which does not prevent the individual from leaving but directs the Bureau of Immigration to be on the lookout for them. 

Those facing the complaint include former Technology and Resource Center director general Dennis Cunanan and 12 other Chinese nationals who held positions at the Zun Yuan Technology Inc., Hongsheng Gaming Technology Inc. and Baofu Corporation, according to the press briefer provided to reporters.

Benjamin Samson, IACAT prosecutor, said that they have found enough evidence that shows the three companies are part of a "grand conspiracy" to commit labor trafficking.

“In one of the corporations, we found a document wherein the name of Mr. Dennis Cunanan appeared. After piecing together the pieces of evidence, we concluded and we decided that he is part of the grand conspiracy to commit labor trafficking,” he added.

On June 3, Guo was placed on preventive suspension by the Office of the Ombudsman for up to six months in connection to the graft charges filed against her by the Department of Interior and Local Government. 

This administrative case against Guo stems from the allegation that she had allowed illegal POGOs to operate in her municipality. The DILG questioned in its complaint whether Guo had truly divested from the real estate firm Baofu, which houses the illegal POGO hub in Bamban.

On June 18, Guo's camp wrote to Malacañang denying all allegations against her related to human trafficking, kidnapping and money laundering.