THE Department of Justice (DoJ) said Thursday that it is poised to file a money laundering complaint against dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo and her sister Shiela.
“[The money laundering complaint will be filed] maybe tomorrow or next week against Alice and Shiela Guo and other individuals,” Justice Undersecretary Nicholas Felix Ty said during a public briefing.
The Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) has already been asked to expedite the filing of anti-money laundering charges against Guo and her cohorts.
(Left) Dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo and Shiela Guo. TMT PHOTOS
AMLC deputy director for Investigation and Enforcement Department Adrian Arpon said the agency hopes to file the first money laundering case within the week for preliminary investigation.
Earlier, the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission filed qualified trafficking in persons complaint against Alice Guo before the DoJ in connection with the reported criminal activities of a Philippine offshore gaming operator in her town of Bamban.
A separate case for alleged violation of the National Internal Revenue Code, particularly the attempt to evade taxes and failure to file capital gains tax and documentary stamp tax have been filed by the Bureau of Internal Revenue.
On the other hand, Shiela is facing charges for disobedience to summons issued by the Senate in violation of Article 150 of the Revised Penal Code and for using a fake Philippine passport in violation of Section 22, paragraph (b)(2) of Republic Act 11983, the Philippine Passport Act.
Ty said despite Shiela’s testimony before the Senate, it is still too early for the DoJ to consider her as a state witness.
“A lot needs to happen before she can become a state witness and being a state witness has requirements in our law,” he said.
At the same time, Ty pointed out that Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla has expressed doubts as to the truthfulness of the testimony made by Shiela before the Senate.
Shiela, along with Cassandra Li Ong, was apprehended in Indonesia and was repatriated back to the Philippines. The National Bureau of Investigation earlier said she is a Chinese citizen named Zhang Mier who fraudulently acquired a Philippine passport.
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