By Eva Contessa Almeyda | The Red Chronicles
Photo Courtesy | South China Morning Post
When Alice Leal Guo was elected as the first female mayor of Bamban, in the May 2022 elections, a small second-class municipality in the province of Tarlac, she was hailed as a pioneer.
Two years later, the once-admired public servant is at the center of a social media frenzy after making several startling admissions during a Senate hearing, including being unable to recall many significant details of her early years, the home where she grew up, the reason her birth was recorded 17 years late, or even the specifics of the homeschooling program that helped her finish high school. Her previously-celebrated reputation has been clouded by the discoveries, leading to widespread ridicule and public spectacle.
Subsequently, speculations had arisen about whether Alice Leal Guo could be a strategic asset, potentially a spy for the Chinese government.
Following the controversy, Guo underwent intense inquiry before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee in relation to her suspected connections to Hongsheng Gaming Technology Incorporated and Zun Yuan Technology Incorporated. The two aforementioned corporations were later deemed illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs), which operated out of the contentious Baofu Compound.
A Deep Dive onto the POGO Web & the Bamban POGO Fortress
In 2021, legislative history marked the encroachment of the power of Congress when the former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, allowed the Republic Act 11590 — a law governing the tax regime for the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators, more popularly known as POGOs.
Instantaneously thereafter, the legalization of the taxing scheme, online gambling services such as electronic casino, bingo, and sports betting became rampant. The Proliferation of illegal schemes, torture, human trafficking, espionage and killings arose from the dealings with the massive POGO industry.
The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) revealed in its 2024 report that there are more than 250 unlicensed POGO hubs, which are illegally tied to crimes and syndicates. However, only 120 POGO-related crimes arrived at the court conviction, leaving a figure of about 4,335 POGO victims in the dark.
As the investigation on the POGOs ensued, a huge POGO center in Bamban, Tarlac, was raided for suspected illicit operations, including love scams, cryptocurrency, and serious illegal detention of its employees. As a result, more than 800 Filipinos and international foreigners were freed.
Inside the POGO hub, authorities discovered a swimming pool, many tunnels, several structures, and expensive vehicles. A Bugatti Chiron was discovered on Zun Yuan Technology’s property, which revealed that one of them is registered in Guo’s name after confirmation with the Land Transportation Office (LTO), and a statement of accounts with a billing date covering the period between September 2023 to February 2024, from Tarlac II Electric Cooperative, Inc. given to Guo was discovered on Zuan Yuan’s property.
As the Senate hearings became more controversial, the inquiries gradually unveiled the inconsistencies in Guo’s identity and financial records in relation to the Bamban Pogo hubs. Guo’s identity became a central issue, with conflicting records of her birth, parents, and business dealings. When questioned about the points of connection on nationality and ownership of corporate shares in Baofu, Guo asserted that she had sold the latter prior to becoming a provincial mayor.
Additional factual data arose when the SEC documents revealed that Guo had been a businesswoman for a while before entering politics. Since 2010, she has been a significant shareholder and incorporator of at least eleven businesses and further unveiled that she established her first business at the age of 24.
On Charges & Escape Tale
In consonance with Guo’s dealing allegations with the POGO Industry, multiple cases were eventually filed against the Bamban, Tarlac Mayor for human trafficking, money laundering, and grave misconduct. Thereafter, the Ombudsman ordered the dismissal of Alice Guo from government service.
While various crimes were being instituted against Guo, Senator Hontiveros disclosed the possible departure of the former from the country as early as July 18, 2024.
Subsequently, on August 20, 2024, the Bureau of Immigration confirmed Guo’s departure from the Philippines on August 16, 2024, for Malaysia, and later traveled to Singapore and reached Indonesia on August 18, 2024. Two days thereafter, Sheila Guo, Alice Guo’s sister and Casandra Li Ong, were extradited from Indonesia.
When questioned by the Senate, Sheila Guo confirmed that she left the Philippines with Alice Guo riding a boat to Malaysia. Following such admission, Guo was then arrested in Indonesia after a month, and was “personally fetched” by DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos and PNP Chief, Police Major General Rommel Francisco Marbil. A warrant of arrest for Graft charges was finally served to the Bamban, Tarlac Mayor.
A Bureaucrat Capitalist Clownery
In an interview at the Department of Justice (DOJ), Atty. David, Guo’s counsel, confirmed that his client will join the mayoralty bid on October 8, the last day of certificate of candidacy (COC) filing for 2025 polls aspirants.
On October 24, 2024, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) formally filed charges against dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo for allegedly committing material misrepresentation in her candidacy in the 2022 elections.
POGO Paradise enabled
The presence of POGOs in the local government units has created an opportunity for patronage of politics and bureaucrat capitalism. The abuse of power by the local and national officials had furthered their interests in private companies, frequently obfuscating the distinction between public service and private benefit. The growth of POGOs was frequently accompanied by claims that local officials were abusing the organizations for financial gain, private gain, or political favors, which strengthened a system in which vested interests dominate governance.
While the webs of the POGO industries were enabled by the local officials, they seeped into the systems of real estate businesses, and local government units. Their indelible footprints left the country’s industries bleeding as these hubs acquiesced about 5% of the local industries, which are appallingly concentrated in the military bases of the Manila Bay area.
What should be done to end the Paradise
Now that the public eye has seen that the mere illegalization and banning of POGOs cannot simplistically deter their massive web of syndicated dealings, a lot of legislative work has left to be done.
Mere issuance of an Executive Order, or striking off an enabling law would not halt the criminality brought by the POGO operations. Lest what must be struck down are the seats of power that enabled such calumny. Thus, the electorate can never allow the rise of political figures that have put the country in economic decay. To elect such local and national officials is to enable the destruction of the country’s politico-economic fabric.
Note: This article was first published in Volume XVIII, Issue I print edition of The Red Chronicles.