Senators on Thursday welcomed the conviction of former Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo, calling the ruling a clear signal that authorities are prepared to confront abuses tied to offshore gambling operations.
Senator Risa Hontiveros said the outcome reflects years of work by victims, witnesses, and investigators who pushed for accountability.
“This Senate investigation delivered unprecedented results: it helped secure a presidential executive order banning POGOs, provided evidence towards a guilty verdict, sending a criminal to prison for life, and contributed in the passage of the Anti-POGO Law of 2025,” said Hontiveros.
“They will not be able to do it again,” she assured.
Hontiveros said she considers the inquiry one of the most consequential efforts of her career.
She also thanked whistleblowers, law enforcement units, and prosecutors who worked to expose the network that operated within Guo’s sphere of influence.
The lawmaker also vowed to demand accountability from government offices that failed to prevent the expansion of criminal operations tied to offshore gambling firms.
“And to all others who enabled Alice Guo’s criminal empire: the Philippines is not a playground for exploitation, infiltration, and espionage. Accountability is coming. Justice always finds a way,” warned Hontiveros.
For Senator Bam Aquino, the speed of the court’s action shows that criminal groups can be held accountable when authorities move decisively.
He said the outcome should deter syndicates that profit from online gambling and related activities.
“Now that we are focused on flood control and government irregularities, the arrest of those involved in corruption in our country should move just as quickly,” the senator said.
