House Committee on Human Rights Chair and Manila 6th District Representative Benny Abante said the Pasig Regional Trial Court’s conviction of former Bamban Mayor Alice Guo for qualified trafficking “strengthens the case for fully enforcing the newly enacted POGO ban,” calling the ruling a long-overdue step toward justice for victims of POGO-related abuses.
The Pasig RTC Branch 167 found Guo and seven of her co-accused guilty and ordered the forfeiture of the entire Baofu compound in favor of the government.
The court sentenced the former mayor and three others to reclusion perpetua and imposed a P2 million fine. It also ordered her immediate transfer from the Pasig City Jail to the Correctional Institute for Women.
Abante said the ruling affirms what he has warned about for years—that POGOs have become breeding grounds for evils such as human trafficking, torture, and organized crime.
“This conviction sends a clear message: those who profit from the exploitation of human beings will be held accountable.”
“This conviction sends a clear message: those who profit from the exploitation of human beings will be held accountable,” the veteran legislator said.
“For too long, these illegal POGO hubs operated like shadow syndicates—trafficking workers, violating human rights, and making a mockery of our laws. Today, justice finally caught up with one of the most visible symbols of this despicable crime,” the seasoned lawmaker added.
“The court’s decision also strengthens the case for the newly enacted law banning POGOs in the Philippines.”
He noted that the court’s decision also strengthens the case for the newly enacted law banning POGOs in the Philippines—a measure he co-authored in Congress.
“I have opposed POGOs from the start because they destroy families, corrupt our institutions, and endanger our national security. I am glad that we finally passed the law prohibiting POGOs, and proud to be one of its authors. Now comes the more difficult challenge: making sure no one dares violate it,” Abante said.
The Human Rights panel chair added that Guo’s conviction is only the beginning of a broader accountability process.
According to him, “we must pursue every individual who enabled these criminal operations—operators, financiers, and even officials who opened doors and looked the other way.”
“The conviction of Alice Guo is not the end of this story. It should be the start of real consequences,” Abante concluded.
