Former Bamban mayor Alice Guo, also known as Guo Hua Ping, has been sentenced to life imprisonment after the Pasig Regional Trial Court Branch 167 found her guilty of Qualified Trafficking in Persons. The promulgation was held Thursday, with Guo attending through an online appearance.
The case was filed over her alleged involvement in a POGO hub in Bamban that authorities described as a scam operation. Investigators said the Baofu compound functioned as the center of trafficking activities that exploited workers.
The court also convicted three others: Jaimielyn Santos Cruz, Rachelle Malonzo Carreon, and Walter Wong Rong. All were found guilty of participating in the trafficking scheme inside the Baofu compound.
The property has been ordered forfeited, with the court ruling that it served as the hub of the operation.
Each of the four convicted individuals must pay a two million peso fine, in addition to damages owed to the victims.
Guo’s conviction marks a major development in the long-running controversy tied to POGO activity in her town. Authorities have repeatedly raised concerns about criminal operations linked to POGO hubs, including trafficking, fraud, and forced labor.
The court’s ruling adds another layer to the investigations surrounding Guo, who was previously dismissed from her post and has faced scrutiny over her alleged ties to illegal operations in Bamban.
