Alice Guo: The Tip of the Iceberg
Whether you know her for her story (or lack thereof), former Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo has been making headlines nationwide because of her questionable origins, infamous quotes like “Your honor, hindi ko na po maalala,” or her ties to the Baofu Compound, an illegal firm offering gambling services, better known as POGOs (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations) in the Philippines.
After escaping the Philippines to Malaysia on July 18 through an informal exit point, Guo was arrested and captured in Indonesia on September 3. The Philippine government had been pursuing her for previous charges related to human trafficking and money laundering, followed by a warrant for her arrest after her connections to the Baofu compound that conducted illegal activities were exposed.
The adverse effects of POGOs are not limited to Alice Guo and the Baofu Compound; they were felt nationwide even before her involvement. This issue, which had been overlooked for previous years under former President Rodrigo Duterte, has now risen to the national spotlight following the controversy surrounding Guo’s role in illegal POGO-related operations. As such, despite the initial belief that POGOs would be beneficial, ongoing raids continue to reveal the malice these establishments inflict on local communities.
POGOs in the Philippines are not a new concept. They were first introduced as early as 2003. Initially, these firms operated without regulation and quickly became hotspots for criminal activity. However, the industry didn’t boom until former President Duterte introduced several tax codes and allowed the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), a government agency tasked with gambling services, to regulate the industry. This made it easier for foreign companies to establish POGOs, attracting clients from countries with strict regulations on gambling. Moreover, despite calls from other nations like China to ban POGOs in the country, Duterte continued to push for their expansion with the hope of increasing revenue, creating jobs, and stimulating the economy following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Driven by profit, POGOs have been known to participate in human trafficking. Historically, POGOs have constructed large compounds with water pumping stations and facilities necessary for workers to live, using these as justification to extend working hours and prevent them from leaving the compound. These compounds are also notorious for attracting foreign nationals who seek to evade laws in their home country, contributing to an increase in prostitution, sex trafficking, and organized crime.
Despite efforts to regulate these establishments, the substantial revenue generated by POGOs has made it easy for them to bribe government officials and public law enforcement. This corruption enables POGOs to bypass the law and engage in illegal activities. Even PAGCOR officials themselves could not identify illegal operations, as seen in the case of a POGO hub raided for human trafficking. Former President Duterte himself once mentioned, "We are not justifying it. We are just saying it is allowed because we need the funds…” However, considering that the country is suffering due to these POGOs, one must ask whether all the abuses faced by regular Filipinos are still worth the supposed economic benefits.
Alice Guo is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to government officials who either support or turn a blind eye to POGO activities. In the investigation leading up to the arrest of Alice Guo, it was revealed that Harry Roque, former presidential spokesman of Duterte, was the head of an illegal POGO hub. Furthermore, Duterte’s former economic advisor, Michael Yang, has also been linked to unlawful POGO operations and a more extensive drug case. Given the impact on our democracy, it is crucial to hold these public officials accountable for their involvement in POGOs, not forgetting that these public servants have a duty to uplift and serve the nation and not to abuse their power for personal gain.
With President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s announcement of the ban on POGOs, we must be vigilant in the coming months. The Senate hearing revealed a larger network of issues tied to POGOs beyond what we know from Alice Guo’s case alone. Her actions as mayor highlight how easy it is for government officials in positions of power to exploit the public, serving as a cautionary tale for future generations on the dangers of unchecked authority. With the POGO ban in effect, we must never forget the importance of accountability in a functioning government. With the return of Alice Guo to the Philippines, she and other government officials like her who have abused their positions of authority for their benefit must face the consequences. After all, unchecked actions and misuse of power cannot go unpunished.
