The Court of Appeals has granted a freeze order on assets belonging to suspended Mayor Alice Leal Guo and several others allegedly involved in illegal activities related to Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGO), the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) said.
AMLC identified Mayor Guo of Bamban Tarlac, along with Zhiyang Huang and Baoying Lin, as subjects of the freeze order issued on July 10. The order covers 90 bank accounts across 14 financial institutions, various real estate properties, and high-value assets such as luxury vehicles and a helicopter.
The move is aimed at preventing asset dissipation while investigations and legal proceedings continue.
According to AMLC, the individuals are suspected of orchestrating human trafficking and fraudulent activities through entities like Zun Yuan Technology Inc., BAOFU Land Development Inc., and Hongsheng Gaming Technology Inc.
“The investigation revealed significant financial transactions and assets amassed by these individuals, indicating their involvement in money laundering, human trafficking, and other illicit operations,” AMLC said.
The illicit activities allegedly involved running an unauthorized POGO operation under Zun Yuan Technology Inc., which reportedly engaged in human trafficking, illegal detention, and online scam schemes. These activities were purportedly conducted within BAOFU Land Development Inc., where trafficked individuals were allegedly coerced into participating in fraudulent online activities.
“The Court of Appeals’ freeze order marks a crucial step in our efforts to combat money laundering and related crimes. Freezing these assets protects our institutions’ integrity and safeguards the public from the harms of illegal activities,” said Matthew David, AMLC executive director.
