📷: preen.ph
Embattled Bamban Mayor Alice Guo is facing yet another scandal – this time linking her to notorious criminals behind money laundering.
According to Senator Risa Hontiveros, Guo’s partners in her Baofu Land Development included Zhang Ruijin and Baoying Lin who were both arrested over what has been referred to as the “largest money laundering case” in Singapore.
“Mayor Alice Guo has ties with criminals. Kasama niya sa Baofu sina Zhang Ruijin at Baoying Lin na arestado sa ‘largest money laundering case’ sa Singapore,” Senator Risa Hontiveros wrote in her Facebook post.
An obviously pissed off Hontiveros said that her links with criminals would have something to do with the wealth she has, for which the senator suspects money used by the embattled mayor to buy luxury cars and a chopper could have been from criminal activities.
“Ang daming red flag ni Mayor Alice Guo. Wala na ngang maayos na record sa Pilipinas, may mga koneksyon pa sa mga kriminal. Is this why she is able to afford her lavish lifestyle? Galing ba sa mga kriminal at pugante ang pambili niya ng chopper at luxury cars?”
“Given her connections to criminals, I welcome the DILG’s move to remove Mayor Guo’s power over the local police. Dapat wala nang access si Mayor sa ating kapulisan kung siya pala ay protektor din ng mga kriminal,” Hontiveros added.
Citing records from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Hontiveros named other incorporators believed to be in cahoots with Guo’s Baofu Land Development. They are Filipino national Rachel Joan Malonzo Carreon, Cypriot national Zhiyang Huang, Chinese national Zhang Ruijin, and Baoying Lin from the Dominican Republic.
From the list of incorporators, Hontiveros said Zhang Ruijin, who was convicted by a Singapore court for money laundering, appears to be the richest with “$41 million worth of assets overseas, including shareholdings in a Philippine real estate development company.
“Ayon mismo kay Mayor, tinulungan daw siya ng mga kaibigan niya para makatakbo sa eleksyon noong 2022. Itong mga kriminal at puganteng kaibigan ba ang sinasabi niya?”
Aside from Zhang Ruijin, Hontiveros also took note of Baoying Lin, whom the senator claims is also facing criminal cases.
“Kahit pa sabihin niyang nag-divest na siya sa Baofu bago tumakbo, the fact remains: she has ties with these criminals. Kaya ba siya tumakbong Mayor para protektahan niya ang mga kaibigan niya? I am looking forward to our hearing on Wednesday. Sana naman may maalala na si Mayor,” a seemingly sarcastic Senator quipped. (ANGEL F. JOSE)
