Senator Sherwin Gatchalian urged the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) to expedite the filing of anti-money laundering charges against dismissed Bamban Mayor Alice Guo or Guo Hua Ping and her cohorts.
“We’re getting impatient with the case,” said Gatchalian.
He noted it’s obvious that there was money laundering involved in the establishment of a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hub in Bamban, Tarlac and Porac, Pampanga.
A tri-panel investigation was launched in the Senate to inquire into how Guo and his cohorts managed to leave the country undetected.
AMLC Deputy Director for Investigation and Enforcement Department Adrian Arpon said the agency hopes to file the first money laundering case in relation to the Bamban POGO within the week for preliminary investigation.
Regarding the Porac POGO case, the AMLC said its investigation is still ongoing and they are still gathering information.
Given the direction of the investigation, Gatchalian asked whether it could lead to a hold departure order against all the accused.
In response, Justice Undersecretary Nicholas Felix Ty stated that one option is to request a precautionary hold departure order from the court.
“Our goal is to ensure that those involved in crimes like the incidents and Bamban and Porac can no longer escape,” he said.
Gatchalian urged Shiela Guo—the foster sister of the fugitive mayor—to cooperate with the government in uncovering the anomalies committed by Alice Guo and her family related to the Bamban POGO hub.
Shiela was previously involved in the Guo family’s businesses, where she held a significant executive position.
Gatchalian also rejected Shiela’s pattern of feigning innocence on some crucial matters in their ongoing investigation. He noted that this is also similar to the pattern of behavior of Alice Guo.
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