A Chinese national who falsified her nationality to become a mayor in the Philippines has been sentenced to life in prison for human trafficking.

Alice Guo, who had been elected mayor of Bamban town, north of the capital, was found guilty of running an online gambling operation where hundreds of workers were forced to commit scams under threat of torture.

The sprawling complex included office buildings, luxury villas, and a large swimming pool. Authorities discovered the centre in March last year after a Vietnamese employee escaped and alerted police.

During the raid, officials found over 700 workers from the Philippines, China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan, Indonesia, and Rwanda. Court documents showed that Guo was listed as president of the company that owned the compound.

A Manila cour

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