EDITORIAL: NEWS2VIEWS | News: Pasig court finds Alice Guo guilty of qualified human trafficking | View: Guo a Guinea Pig! Who’s Behind the Syndicate? Seems No one Cares to Investigate?

MANILA, Philippines (Updated 10:40 a.m.) — Former Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo was found guilty of qualified trafficking in persons.

The verdict was handed down on Thursday, November 20. Guo was convicted along with her seven co-accused by the Pasig Regional Trial Court Branch 167.

Guo and the seven co-accused were sentenced to reclusion perpetua or from 20 to 40 years imprisonment and a fine of P2 million.

The following are the convicted co-accused, according to the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission:

For “organizing trafficking” inside the Baofu compound:

• Alice Guo
• Jaimielyn Santos Cruz
• Rachelle Malonzo Carreon
• Walter Wong Rong

For acts of trafficking:

• Wang Weili
• Wuli Dong
• Nong Ding Chang
• Lang Xu Po

In an ambush interview, Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Olivia Torrevillas also said that eight of Guo’s co-accused were acquitted.

However, she did not reveal the names of the acquitted individuals, citing confidentiality.

Torrevillas also said that the compound owned by Baofu Land Development Inc. was forfeited in favor of the government.

“The Baofu Compound is forfeited in favor of the government,” Torrevillas said.

The former mayor and the other co-accused, however, did not attend the promulgation in person. She attended the verdict via video conference.

The case stemmed from unlawful activities involving Philippine offshore gaming operators in Bamban, Tarlac.