The Department of Justice (DOJ) has given the go-ahead for 62 counts of money laundering charges to be filed against Alice Guo, the former mayor of Bamban, Tarlac, and 31 others linked to a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hub in the town. This decision was announced by DOJ spokesperson Mico Clavano during a press briefing on Wednesday.
The charges stem from activities at the POGO hub, with the prosecution panel recommending 26 counts under Section 4(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA) for transactions involving monetary instruments that were the illegal proceeds of unlawful activities. Additionally, five counts under Section 4(b) were recommended against Guo for the conversion, transfer, or movement of these illegal proceeds.
The panel also suggested 31 counts under Section 4(b) of the AMLA against Guo and her co-accused. However, a separate complaint against Guo for concealing or disguising the true nature of the funds’ source was dismissed by the DOJ. Similarly, charges against lawyer Jason Masuerte, Nancy Gamo, and Cassie Li Ong for aiding and abetting money laundering were dropped due to insufficient evidence and lack of certainty of conviction.
Clavano highlighted that the accused’s operations included various scams such as love scams, investment scams, and crypto scams, which were uncovered by law enforcement agencies. The profits from these scams were used to purchase various assets.
In addition to the money laundering charges, Guo and her co-accused face allegations of qualified human trafficking following a raid on the POGO hub in Bamban in June, where 800 Filipino and foreign workers were rescued. The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) has also pointed to a complex network of criminal activities connecting POGOs to drug syndicates and corporate fraud.