THE human trafficking conviction is the latest in a series of legal setbacks for Alice Guo.
In June 2025, Branch 34 of the Regional Trial Court ruled that Guo, legally identified by the court as a Chinese national, had fraudulently assumed a Filipino identity to run for mayor.
The court also voided her proclamation and convicted her of usurpation of public office.
In September 2025, Branch 111 of the RTC in Tarlac City certificate of live birth, a ruling affirmed in October after her appeal was denied.
The government had also secured criminal forfeiture of Guo’s 7.9-hectare Baofu property, valued at P3.9 billion. Civil forfeiture cases involving Guo’s other assets including bank accounts, vehicles and real estate collectively worth hundreds of millions of pesos remain pending.
Businessman Ruperto Cruz, who has been repeatedly mentioned in investigations into the Porac Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (Pogo) case, declined to comment on Guo’s conviction.
Cruz maintained that he was not involved in the Porac hub’s operations and that the property transaction was strictly a business matter.
Cruz said there are no records linking him to human trafficking and that he was unfairly singled out, while similar cases involving other landlords and local officials were not pursued.
‘I cannot comment on that. We respect the court’s judgment. But in the case filed against me in relation to human trafficking, there are no records to prove that,’ said Cruz.
‘Just like the Remullas on their Cavite property, we only sold our property, because I am a businessman. Ang lumilitaw kasi bakit ako lang ang kinasuhan sa human trafficking? Wala naman pruweba. It won’t stand in court. Naging sensationalized ang Porac case pero kung tutuusin nasi-single out lang din kami. Wala naman records,’ he added.
Cruz is the owner of the 150-hectare Royal Garden Estate in Porac town. Only about 4-hectare portion of the property was sold to Whirlwind Corporation and later leased to Pogo Lucky South 99.
Lucky South was raided by the authorities in June 2024. The hearings conducted by the Senate and the House of Representatives have revealed links between Whirlwind and Lucky South through common associates including former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque.
Cruz is also the chairman of the Pinoy Gumising Ka Movement-among the civil society groups in Pampanga pushing for the call to a Constitutional Convention (Con-Con) as a peaceful way to end the systemic corruption amid the ongoing flood control scandal.
‘First of all, I am not in their corporation [Whirlwind]. Kamukha ng kina Ombudsman [Jesus Crispin] Remulla at Secretary [Juan Victor] Jonvic Remulla, nag benta at nagpa-lease lang din kami. Kung isasali nila ako, isali nila lahat,’ Cruz said.
‘When we were having the transaction, they said they were BPOs, a call center. They were legalized under the Duterte administration. What about the mayors in Metro Manila? They were also not included. Mayor Jing Capil was also singled out,’ he added.
The Paocc said it is monitoring 55 related cases nationwide, with 33 already in active trials.