Former Bamban, Tarlac mayor, Alice Guo submitted a counter-affidavit to the Department of Justice (DOJ), requesting the dismissal of the human trafficking complaints filed against her.
In a document submitted by Guo through her lawyers, she refuted the complaints filed by the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) on her involvement with human trafficking.
“A simple perusal of the Complaint-Affidavit would really show that the only basis for implicating me for human trafficking is mere electric bill and documents of BAOFU Corporation. This is preposterous,” her statement read.
She furthered that human trafficking involves criminal acts of recruiting and receiving persons through the use of force, coercion, and deceit for exploitation. An electric bill is simply a record of electricity usage, billed to the person who applied for the service.
In her counter-affidavit, she said that a bill under her name does not guarantee her involvement with the illegal activities taking place within the establishment. Hence, the continuous pleading for her innocence.
Guo failed to file her counter-affidavit in time and was not permitted an extension by the panel. However, she reasoned that the delay was due to her security, medical, and mental health concerns.
“I am executing this counter-affidavit to attest to the truth of all the foregoing statements and in support of my prayer for the dismissal of the complaint for violation of Secs. 4 and 6 of RA (Republic Act) No. 9208, as amended by RA No. 10364, as further amended by RA No. 11862,” Guo’s counter-affidavit ended.
The raid on the illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) hub in Bamban, Tarlac in March, subjected Guo to reveal her citizenship and identity before the government. During one of the investigations, the PAOCC found electric bills listed under Guo’s name inside the compound.
