Press Release - Gatchalian urges AMLC to expedite filing of money laundering charges vs. Alice Guo, cohorts

Senator Win Gatchalian urged the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) to expedite the filing of anti-money laundering charges against dismissed Bamban Mayor Alice Guo and her cohorts.

"We're getting impatient with the case because it's obvious that there was money laundering involved in the establishment of a POGO hub in Bamban," Gatchalian said at a recent Senate hearing, which launched an inquiry into how Guo and her 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.

"Ang layunin natin ay matiyak na hindi na muling makatakas ang mga sangkot sa krimen, gaya ng nangyari sa mga insidente ng POGO sa Bamban at Porac," said Gatchalian.

During the same hearing, Gatchalian urged Sheila Guo to cooperate with the government in uncovering the anomalies committed by Alice Guo and her family related to the Bamban POGO hub. She was previously involved in the Guo family's businesses, where she held a significant executive position.

"Ang pwede mong gawin ngayon ay magsabi ka na ng totoo kung ano ang involvement ni Alice Guo sa POGO, ano ang kanyang mga aktibidad. Tumulong ka sa gobyerno. Kung sinasabi mo na hindi mo alam 'yung ibang mga pinapirmahan nila sa iyong mga dokumento, dahil pinirmahan mo ang mga iyun, ikaw ay sentro rin sa mga imbestigasyon. Inilagay ka sa masamang sitwasyon ng pamilya Guo, pinahamak ka nila." he told Shiela Guo, who has a Chinese name of Zhang Mier according to the National Bureau of Investigation.

Hinimok ni Senador Win Gatchalian ang Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) na pabilisin ang pagsasampa ng anti-money laundering charges laban sa