Former Bamban Mayor Alice Guo was sentenced to reclusion perpetua after Pasig Regional Trial Court Branch 167 convicted her of qualified human trafficking on November 20. The ruling stemmed from a raid on a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator hub in Bamban, Tarlac where authorities rescued more than 800 Filipino and foreign workers who had been subjected to trafficking activities.
Evidence gathered from the compound linked Guo and her co-accused to illegal recruitment, exploitation, and the handling of trafficked persons, including Chinese nationals found working inside the Bamban facility. Investigators tied the activities to illicit operations running within the POGO hub.
The court denied every attempt by Guo and the other accused to secure bail or dismissal. Qualified human trafficking is a non-bailable offense, and the court declared that the evidence presented met the threshold for conviction. Guo is currently detained at the Pasig City Jail Female Dormitory while she faces additional cases involving alleged citizenship fraud and issues related to land ownership.
The case drew national attention as details surrounding the Bamban operation pointed to organized trafficking schemes operating under the cover of POGO activity. The conviction fueled discussions on stronger enforcement of the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act and heightened calls for broader action against criminal groups using POGO hubs as fronts.
The ruling is viewed as a significant milestone in anti-trafficking efforts, marking a rare instance where a local public official was held criminally liable for direct involvement in a large-scale trafficking operation tied to POGO activities.
