FACT CHECK: No guilty verdict against Bamban Mayor Alice Guo
Claim: Suspended Bamban Mayor Alice Guo has been found guilty of involvement in the operations of illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) in her municipality.
Rating: FALSE
Why we fact-checked this: The YouTube video bearing the claim was posted on June 16, 2024, by a channel with 483,000 subscribers. As of writing, it has 18,374 views, 194 comments, and 691 likes.
The video is titled, “Gatchalian sumabog sa galit, Mayor Alice Guo guilty kumpirmadong kriminal.” ([Senator Sherwin] Gatchalian burst into anger. Mayor Alice Guo found guilty, a confirmed criminal.)
The video also features a graphic with photos of Guo and Gatchalian, along with the text, “Hala guilty hatol, kumpirmadong 100% kriminal si Alice Guo” (It’s a guilty verdict, Alice Guo is 100% confirmed as a criminal.)
The bottom line: The Senate and other government agencies are currently investigating Guo over her alleged POGO links, but no court has convicted her and declared her guilty.
The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) said on June 15 that it was planning to file non-bailable criminal cases against Guo, adding that it had gathered enough evidence to file human trafficking charges. PAOCC spokesman Winston Casio also said that the commission was considering charges related to money laundering against Guo and her co-conspirators.
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Ongoing investigations: The Bamban mayor has been facing Senate scrutiny over her alleged links to POGOs, ties with “criminals” involved in money laundering cases, and questions on her nationality. (READ: Who is Alice Guo, Bamban mayor suspected of being a Chinese asset?)
In an order dated May 31, the Office of the Ombudsman ordered the preventive suspension of the embattled mayor based on the complaint filed by the Department of the Interior and Local Government, accusing Guo of grave misconduct, serious dishonesty, gross neglect of duty, and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.
The Bureau of Internal Revenue is also investigating Guo and other individuals and entities mentioned during the Senate inquiries for potential tax evasion.
On June 18, Guo’s legal team filed a letter to Malacañang, appealing for a fair probe to refute the issues thrown against her, including accusations of her being a Chinese “asset.”
Rappler has published several fact-checks regarding Guo:
- FACT CHECK: No Hontiveros claim that Rodrigo Duterte is Guo’s uncle
- FACT CHECK: No Marcos order to arrest Bamban Mayor Alice Guo
- FACT CHECK: No Marcos order banishing Bamban Mayor Alice Guo from PH
– Kyle Marcelino/Rappler.com
Kyle Marcelino is a graduate of Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program. This fact check was reviewed by a member of Rappler’s research team and a senior editor. Learn more about Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program here.
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