đˇ Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo
Office of the Ombudsman has placed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo and two other officials under preventive suspension following the Department of the Interior and Local Government’s (DILG) complaint over the official’s alleged links with the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) in her municipality.
In an order dated May 31 but issued on June 3, Ombudsman Samuel Martires granted the DILG’s request for a preventive suspension against Guo.
Ombudsman also placed Bamban Municipal Legal Officer Adenn Sigua and Business and Licensing Officer Edwin Ocampo.
The government agency suspended Guo, Sigua, and Ocampo without pay during the period of the probe until its completion, but will not exceed six months.
Preventive suspension is a normal procedure in investigations involving public officials to maintain the impartiality of the inquiry and eliminate any chance that authorities could sway the probe due to their government position.
The Ombudsman granted the DILG’s request to place the three government officials into preventive suspension, which claimed that Guo and the other two officials had permitted Hongsheng Gaming Technology Inc. to be issued a permit even though it didn’t comply with all the standards.
Guo is currently under fire due to her purported connections to Zun Yuan Technology Incorporated, a POGO company that was raided by authorities in March of this year over allegations of major illegal detention and human trafficking.
According to the complaint, the POGO’s license from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) has expired. Guo did, however, cancel their business license.
âMoreover, despite the raid of Zun Yuan and its predecessor Hongsheng, the cancellation of Honsheng’s license to operate; and the cease and desist order to operate issued by PAGCOR against Zun Yuan, Guo did not cancel or revoke their business permits because of her business interest in Baofu,â the Ombudsmanâs resolution read.
In a separate statement, Senator Risa Hontiveros said that they had learned of the Bamban mayor’s attempts to thwart the POGO investigations in Tarlac.
According to Hontiveros, this behavior ought to have previously been grounds for suspension.
âMayor Guo also undoubtedly has ties with POGO. Kahit ilang beses pa siyang magsinungaling, kahit ilang beses pa niyang hindi maalala, dokumentado ang koneksyon niya sa POGO,â Hontiveros said.
“Let us not forget, this is a POGO with alleged hacking and surveillance activities. POGO na puro scams, krimen, at human trafficking ang dala sa bansa,” Hontiveros added.
Guo, whose nationality as a Filipino is being questioned by lawmakers, was also found to be the incorporator of Baofu Land Development Inc., which owns the land where the complex where luxury cars registered to Guo was recovered.
Further investigation also saw electricity bills with the mayorâs name on it.
Guo, who has repeatedly denied allegations, has yet to issue a statement as of this writing. (TCSP/ANGEL F, JOSE)
