Philippine mayor masterminded a scam compound where hundreds were trafficked, and her town hall gave it permits, the Ombudsman and a court found.

In a decision made public August 13, 2024, Ombudsman Samuel Martires dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo for grave misconduct, finding she 'orchestrated and masterminded' the Philippine offshore gaming (POGO) hub raided in March 2024, issued it business permits despite missing fire-safety certification, pushed the municipal council to pass a letter of no objection, and failed to act on the operation near the municipal hall; twelve other town officials, including the vice mayor, were suspended for conduct prejudicial to the service. More than 700 workers of several nationalities were found at the compound, which forced people to run scams under threat.