Court denies Alice Guo's petition for bail
Dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo remains behind bars after a Pasig court denied her bail plea in a high-profile human trafficking case.
The Pasig City Regional Trial Court Branch 167 denied the petition of Guo and five others, including Rita Sapnu Yturralde, Rowena Gonzales Evangelista, Thelma Barrogo Laranan, Merlie Joy Manalo Castro and Rachelle Joan Malonzo Carreon, citing there is "strong evidence" against them.
“The evidence of the prosecution was found to be strong,” Prosecutor General Richard Fadullon said.
However, co-accused, Maybelline Requiro Millo and Jaimielyn Santos Cruz, were allowed to post bail because the evidence against the two was "weak."
Nicole Jamilla, Guo's lawyer, said her client was anxious about spending the holiday season at the Pasig City Jail Female Dormitory.
“Nagwo-worry kasi September siya na-detain. That’s three months so magpa-Pasko. ‘Yong feeling na may possibility na made-detain siya during the holidays. Andun ‘yong worry, burden. Stress talaga sa kanya,” Jamilla said earlier.
Earlier this week, the National Bureau of Investigation filed complaints against Guo, her parents Jiang Zhong Guo and Lin Wenyi, and her siblings Shiela and Siemen Guo with the Department of Justice after they were found to have bought four parcels of land for their 3Lin-Q Farm in Mangatarem, Pangasinan through illegal means.
Guo had been serving as mayor of the Tarlac municipality until she was dismissed by the Office of the Ombudsman from the position due to "grave misconduct" in connection with the alleged illegal activities of POGO hubs in her town.
