Guo gets reclusión perpetua: NBI hails conviction over POGO trafficking case

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Thursday hailed the conviction of former Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo — also known as Guo Hua Ping — for qualified human trafficking by the Pasig Regional Trial Court, along with co-accused Rachelle Malonzo Carreon, Jaimielyn Cruz, and Walter Wong Rong.

All four defendants were sentenced to reclusión perpetua and ordered to pay P2 million in fines over their role in facilitating large-scale Philippine Offshore Gaming Operation (POGO) activities in Bamban, Tarlac.

The NBI, which led the case through Task Force Guo, described the ruling as a milestone in the government’s intensified crackdown on criminal syndicates and labor exploitation linked to POGO hubs.

“This conviction demonstrates that no network is too sophisticated, no operation too well-funded, and no position too powerful to escape accountability,” NBI Officer-in-Charge Atty. Angelito Magno said in a statement, stressing that the decision sends a strong message that public office cannot be used as protection for criminal activity.

The bureau noted that the outcome aligns with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to pursue human trafficking and POGO-related abuses nationwide.

“Justice has been served today, not only for the victims, but for the nation,” Magno added.

The NBI also commended investigators and partner agencies for their “rigorous, professional, and unrelenting” work in building the evidence that led to the conviction. The bureau vowed to continue pursuing trafficking and POGO-related crimes and ensure that individuals — regardless of influence or political position — face legal consequences.