The panel of prosecutors from the Department of Justice (DOJ) is set to file 62 counts of money laundering charges against dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo among others, according to Justice spokesperson Mico Clavano.
“The panel of prosecutors found that the illegal activities that we found when we raided their business were the proceeds that are referred to or the subject of this complaint,” Clavano told reporters in an ambush interview on Wednesday.
He revealed the amount involved in these transactions is in the billions.
The prosecutors’ recommendation concerns the violation of the Anti-Money Laundering Act, specifically 26 counts of Section 4(a), which involve transacting money or property; 5 counts of Section 4(b), which involve converting, transferring, disposing of, moving, acquiring, possessing, or using money or property; and 31 counts of Section 4(d), which involve attempting to conspire to commit money laundering.
This resolution is in relation to the complaint filed by the Anti-Money Laundering Council, the National Bureau of Investigation, and the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission against Guo last year.
Aside from Guo, 31 of the 62 counts involve other personalities including alleged Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) big boss Huang Zhiyang, former Technology and Livelihood Resource Center deputy director general Dennis Cunanan, and 28 others.
Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said the cases will be filed as soon as possible.
“The resolution is there, it is not for me to change it because we respect the jobs of our fellow professionals who work at the DOJ,” Remulla said.
Apart from these charges, Guo is also facing charges filed by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for allegedly committing material misrepresentation in her candidacy in the 2022 elections.