THE Department of Justice (DOJ) has recommended the filing of charges against Sheila Guo, sister of dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo, and Cassandra Ong, the authorized representative of the raided illegal Pogo hub in Porac, Tarlac.
The DOJ-National Prosecution Service (NPS) has approved the filing of criminal charges for violation of article 150 of the Revised Penal Code for disobedience to summons issued by the Senate and Section 22, paragraph (b)(2), of Republic Act (RA) 11983 for using a false Philippine passport against Shiela, who was identified as Zhang Mier.
Charges for violation of Article 150 of the Revised Penal Code for disobedience to summons issued by the House of Representatives and for Obstruction of Justice for harboring, concealing or facilitating the escape of a criminal offender will be filed against Ong.
Shiela and Ong were intercepted by immigration authorities in Indonesia and were deported back to the Philippines.
Shiela, along with Mayor Guo and the rest of their family, left the country amid the ongoing search for them following the issuance of an arrest order against them by the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality in relation to its investigation on the raided illegal Pogo hub in Bamban, Tarlac.
Compelled to face the panel on Tuesday, August 27, following her apprehension, Shiela admitted leaving the country, along with Mayor Guo and their “brother” Wesley Guo through illegal channels.
She also admitted having two passports, one issued by the Philippine government and one from China.
She said she was not born in the Philippines and only arrived in the country in 2001 to help the father indicated in their Filipino birth certificate, Guo Jian Zhong, in his business.
Shiela, however, admitted that Jian was not her biological father and that Wen Yi Lin, who was their mother based on her birth registration, was just her aunt. She is also not biologically related to Mayor Guo, whom she only met upon arrival in the country.
She said all their Philippine issued documents were just handed over to them by Jian.
Ong, on the other hand, left the country instead of answering the summons issued against her by the House of Representatives amid its ongoing investigation on the raided illegal Pogo hub in Porac, Pampanga.
Shiela earlier said that they met Ong, the girlfriend of Wesley, upon their arrival in Malaysia from an escape to the Philippines.
Meanwhile, Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) said they will file money laundering complaints against Mayor Guo, along with several personalities, within the week in relation to the ongoing investigation on the raided illegal Pogo hub in Bamban, the Zun Yuan Technology Incorporated.
In July, the Court of Appeals (CA) ordered the freezing of assets of then suspended Mayor Guo upon the request of the AMLC.
“With regard to the Zhun Yuan case, we have already filed a petition for freeze. At present, we have frozen a total of P251 million…There were also assets frozen: real properties amounting to almost P465 million, for motor vehicles, P76 million. Also subject to forfeiture real properties and money,” AMLC Investigating and Enforcement Department Deputy Director Adrian Arpon said. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)