Dismissed Mayor Alice L. Guo of Bamban, Tarlac on Friday, August 16, asked the Department of Justice (DOJ) to re-open the preliminary investigation of the non-bailable qualified trafficking in persons complaint against her as she filed her counter-affidavit denying the accusation.

Guo did not appear during the past hearings conducted by the DOJ's panel of prosecutors which prompted the panel to submit the complaint for resolution based only the complaint filed against her.

In her motion, Guo said: “In the interest of justice and so as not to deprive Respondent Mayor Guo of her right to due process, Respondent humbly seeks the kind indulgence of this Honorable Investigating Panel to re-open the preliminary investigation of the above-captioned case and admit the attached Counter-Affidavit."

Guo is represented by lawyers from the Gana Atienza Avisado Law Offices.

Her lawyers recounted that during the preliminary investigation hearing of the case last August  6, they manifested before the assigned panel of prosecutors that she be given an additional 10 days or until August 16 to file her counter-affidavit that would refute the allegations against her.

“Respondent Mayor Guo manifested that considering her security, medical, and mental health concerns coupled with the complexity and high-profile nature of this case, she would need more time to verify the accuracy of the voluminous records of this case,” the lawyers said. 

“On even date, however, this Honorable Investigating Panel denied the said Motion,” they lamented.

Guo is facing charges of violations of Sections 4 and 6 of Republic Act (RA) No. 9208, the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003, as amended, in connection with alleged qualified human trafficking committed by Zun Yuan Technology Center.

Zun Yuan Technology, a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO), was raided by government authorities inside the Bamban property of the Baofu Corporation where Guo was a previous stockholder.

The complaint was filed by the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) and the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) before the DOJ last June 21.

In her counter-affidavit, Guo declared that she “vehemently deny having committed  the aforementioned offense…” and asked that the case be dismissed.

“The absence of my involvement in the operations of the POGO clearly indicates that I had no role in or knowledge of any alleged human trafficking activities within the compound,” Guo said. 

She added: "The only basis for implicating me for human trafficking is mere electric bill and documents of Baofu Corporation.”

“I have yet to see a case where a mere electric bill could be validly used to support a claim that a person is involved in human trafficking,” Guo pointed out.

She explained that "Baofu is a corporation duly organized for the purpose of leasing real properties.”

"I was not in a position to influence the operations of Baofu Corporation, let alone any illegal activities that might have been conducted by unrelated entities," she said. 

“This case is nothing but a politically motivated smear campaign designed to tarnish my reputation,” she also said. 

“The allegations against me are being exploited by individuals who are more interested in leveraging this issue for their own political ambitions and enhancing their public image rather than seeking the truth,” she added.

The Office of the Ombudsman has dismissed Guo as Bamban mayor for grave misconduct on complaints filed by the Department of the Interior and Local Government.