ASEANEWS HEADLINE-COURTS & CRIME | SINGAPORE-MANILA: Singapore, Philippines investigate ex-mayor Alice Guo
Alice Guo. PHOTO: AFP
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ANN/THE STRAITS TIMES – Investigations in the Philippines into Alice Guo, a former mayor allegedly linked to money laundering and other crimes, have expanded to Singapore.
Her purported associates include Singaporean Zhang Jie, who is said to be the former president of an online entertainment group in the archipelago.
Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogos), which cater to overseas players, were banned by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr in July 2024 over their controversial links to criminal activities.
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Zhang, who is wanted in Manila by the nation’s anti-corruption watchdog, allegedly ran a Pogo that was involved in human trafficking and scams.
Guo’s other associate in Singapore is said to be Wu Duanren. Philippine lawmakers described him as the “boss” of several illegal gambling groups there.
Checks by The Straits Times showed Zhang had a residence in Singapore and was registered as a director of several companies in Singapore. Lawmakers in the Philippines accuse the two men of helping Guo escape the country in July 2024 amid investigations into her activities and background.
The Singapore Police Force told ST it is working with the Philippine authorities on the matter involving Zhang and Wu, and will provide assistance within the ambit of Singapore’s laws. The spokesperson said in a January 7 statement, “Should we receive credible evidence of their alleged offences, we will deal firmly with them in accordance with our laws.
“We do not tolerate anyone who may have committed crimes overseas and will take firm action against them if we have sufficient grounds.”
Guo, also known as Guo Hua Ping, was mayor of Bamban in the city of Tarlac – about one and half hours from Manila – from June 2022 till her removal from office for grave misconduct in August 2024.
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She is facing Philippine Senate investigations into her ties to another online entertainment centre in Bamban, which was allegedly a front for scam operations and other criminal activities.
Guo, who is said to originally be from China, had incorporated Baofu Land Development in 2019, a firm that allegedly built the scam compound. It was set up with two convicts in Singapore’s SDG3 billion money laundering case – Zhang Ruijin and Lin Baoying.
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