After former Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo, or Guo Hua Ping, was found guilty of human trafficking by the Pasig Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 167 on Thursday, November 20, Senator Risa Hontiveros welcomed the decision, stating, “justice has been served.”

In a statement, the senator said that Guo’s conviction is a victory against corruption, human trafficking, cybercrime, and many other transnational crimes.

“Ngayon, hindi na sila makakaulit,” she said.

Hontiveros said the Senate investigation delivered unprecedented results, adding that it helped secure a presidential executive order banning Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) and contributed to the passage of the Anti-POGO Law of 2025.

“I am proud to consider it one of the most consequential Senate inquiries of my life’s work so far,” Hontiveros stated, thanking the victims, witnesses, and whistleblowers who mustered up the courage to testify before the Senate.

As the Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality, Hontiveros said it makes her feel hopeful about the work they do.

“But it is far from over. We will continue to demand accountability from every government agency that failed in their duties, and we will continue to investigate the full extent of Chinese intelligence operations in our country,” she emphasized.

To end her statement, Hontiveros penned a short message to individuals who “enabled Guo’s criminal empire”: “The Philippines is not a playground for exploitation, infiltration, and espionage.”

“Accountability is coming. Justice always finds a way,” she added.

Along with Guo, the court also sentenced Jaimielyn Santos Cruz, Rachelle Malonzo Carreon, and Malaysian national Walter Wong Rong to reclusion perpetua, or life imprisonment, with a ₱2-million fine for organizing human trafficking operations.

It also found Wang Weili, Wuli Dong, Nong Ding Chang, and Lang Xu Po guilty of acts of trafficking, carrying the same penalty of life imprisonment and a ₱2-million fine each.