AMLC freezes Guo bank accounts, assets

MANILA, Philippines — The Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) has ordered financial institutions and government agencies to freeze the bank accounts and assets of Bamban Mayor Alice Guo as well as those of two other persons for their alleged involvement in illegal Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) firms.

In a statement, the AMLC said the Court of Appeals has approved the council’s petition for the issuance of the order effectively freezing the assets of the persons and entities allegedly involved in human trafficking, money laundering and illicit POGO activities. 

Those identified in the AMLC’s petition are Guo, Zhiyang Huang and Baoying Lin. 

“These individuals are suspected of orchestrating human trafficking and fraudulent activities through entities such as Zun Yuan Technology Inc., BAOFU Land Development Inc. and Hongsheng Gaming Technology Inc.,” the AMLC said. 

The freeze order covers a wide range of assets, including 90 bank accounts across 14 financial institutions, several real properties and high-value personal properties, including as luxury vehicles and a helicopter. 

“This decisive action aims to prevent the dissipation of assets while the investigation and legal proceedings continue,” AMLC said.

The camp of Mayor Guo yesterday said that the suspended official has no plan of seeking reelection in the 2025 polls after she was removed from the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC)’s roster amid her alleged links to Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs).

In an interview with ANC, Guo’s legal counsel Stephen David said he personally wants the mayor to run again and let the people of Bamban decide whether to vote for her.

“She was not contemplating (to seek reelection), but for me, if she would ask me, I want her to run as eventually at the end of the day, the people of Bamban will decide whether they want her. We should not preempt the voters of Bamban on what they want,” he said.

Guo won as an independent candidate during the 2022 elections, later joining the NPC, which recently entered into an alliance with President Marcos’ Partido Federal.

Guo is under preventive suspension ordered by the ombudsman due to complaints for graft and