SINGAPORE: Investigations in the Philippines into Alice Guo, a former mayor allegedly linked to money laundering and other crimes, have expanded to Singapore.
Her purported associates include Singaporean Zhang Jie, who is said to be the former president of an online casino group in the archipelago.
Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogos), which cater to overseas gamblers including Chinese nationals, were banned by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr in July 2024 over their controversial links to criminal activities.
Zhang, who is wanted in Manila by the nation’s anti-corruption watchdog, allegedly ran a Pogo that was involved in human trafficking and scams.
Guo’s other associate in Singapore is said to be Wu Duanren. Philippine lawmakers described him as the “boss” of several illegal gambling groups there.
Checks by The Straits Times showed Zhang had a residence in Singapore and was registered as a director of several companies in Singapore.
Lawmakers in the Philippines accuse the two men of helping Guo escape the country in July 2024 amid investigations into her activities and background.
The Singapore Police Force told ST it is working with the Philippine authorities on the matter involving Zhang and Wu, and will provide assistance within the ambit of Singapore’s laws.
The spokesperson said in a Jan 7 statement: “Should we receive credible evidence of their alleged offences, we will deal firmly with them in accordance with our laws.
“We do not tolerate anyone who may have committed crimes overseas and will take firm action against them if we have sufficient grounds.”
Online casino
Guo, also known as Guo Hua Ping, was mayor of Bamban in the city of Tarlac – about 1½ hours from Manila – from June 2022 till her removal from office for grave misconduct in August 2024.
She is facing Philippine Senate investigations into her ties to another online casino in Bamban, which was allegedly a front for scam operations and other criminal activities.
Guo, who is said to originally be from China, had incorporated Baofu Land Development in 2019, a firm that allegedly built the scam compound.
It was set up with two convicts in Singapore’s $3 billion money laundering case – Chinese nationals Zhang Ruijin and Lin Baoying.
Zhang Ruijin 45, and Lin, 44, were each sentenced to 15 months’ jail after they pleaded guilty in Singapore to money laundering and forgery charges. The lovers were deported to Cambodia in June 2024 after serving their sentence.
Zhang Ruijin, Lin, Guo and 11 others were charged with human trafficking in the Philippines in September 2024 for forcing dozens of people to work for the scam compound.
While the Senate hearing was under way, Guo evaded the Philippine authorities and travelled to Malaysia via ship in July 2024. She then allegedly flew to Singapore from Kuala Lumpur on July 21, 2024. She reportedly stayed in Singapore for a month before leaving for Batam, Indonesia, via ferry on Aug 18, 2024.
The Indonesian and Philippine authorities said Zhang Jie allegedly booked four rooms at a Batam hotel for Guo and her entourage for three days.
Guo was arrested by the Indonesian authorities on Sept 3, 2024, in Jakarta and handed over to the Philippines to face the Senate.
Winston Casio, then spokesman for the Philippines’ Presidential Anti-Organised Crime Commission, said in August 2024 that Zhang Jie is the former president of Lucky South 99.
The Pogo building in Porac, Pampanga – about two hours north of Manila – was raided in June 2024 after the authorities received information about torture and other crimes.
One of Guo’s associates, Cassandra Ong, who calls Wu her “godfather”, told Philippine lawmakers during a hearing in September 2024 that Wu had worked as a police officer in China.
Philippine Senator Joel Villanueva, who is involved in the Senate hearing into Guo, said Wu incorporated the company which leased land to Lucky South 99 and called him the “big boss who instils fear”.
Villanueva accused Wu of being the mastermind behind the violence, torture and kidnappings in the country’s Pogos.
Footprints in Singapore
Zhang Jie and Wu shared an address in Clementi, according to checks by ST.
During a visit to the Housing Board unit on Dec 27, 2024, a man who answered the door claimed the two men did not live there.
The man, who said he was the owner of the flat, denied he was Zhang Jie. He also claimed not to know Guo.
But minutes later, he said: “I didn’t do anything wrong or harm other people. Even let’s say, for example... Singapore immigration allowed her (Guo) to come in, correct? Then did I do anything wrong in Singapore?”
The man added: “If I’ve ever done something wrong, the authorities will already come to me. I deserve to face them.”
He stressed multiple times that he was a “very good citizen in Singapore” and that media reports in the Philippines about Zhang Jie were false.
Checks by ST showed Zhang Jie registered four companies in Singapore between 2020 and 2023.
They include Pan Sea Dict Technology, Coral Tree Harvest Investment Holdings, Dr Wu Holdings and Dr Wu Investment Holding.
Wu was the chief executive officer and director of Dr Wu Investment Holding before relinquishing his posts on Oct 8, 2024.
Records show that as at Dec 4, 2024, both Coral Tree Harvest Investment Holdings and Dr Wu Holdings had been gazetted to be struck off.
Earlier hearings probing Guo’s background and lack of records in the Philippines have also led lawmakers to suspect her of being a Chinese “asset”.
However, Guo maintains that she is a natural-born Philippine citizen and has denied all allegations against her. - The Straits Times/ANN