POGO-politics seems to be becoming a thing with the latest controversial news in the Philippines. On the 7th of May, 2024, a senate hearing was held by senators Risa Hontiveros and Win Gatchalian which aims to examine Bamban, Tarlac’s mayor Alice Guo and her rumored ties to POGOs in the province. But who really is Alice Guo? Here is everything we know so far about the controversial public figure that
Mayor Alice Guo’s lies and questionable identity
After the senate hearing on Tuesday, here’s what we’ve discovered about Alice Guo’s identity.
- Guo’s birth certificate was reportedly registered when she was already 17 years old. Senator Hontiveros pointed out why Guo had a late registration, but the Bamban Mayor couldn’t confirm the real reason yet. Guo’s age may be confusing to many, but she is reportedly 38 years old now. She was supposedly born in 1986. This alone would raise concern about her true identity or the lack thereof. Truthfully, no one still knows how old Guo really is. She may be 38 (as per reports) or may even be in her late 20s.
- Alice Guo told the senate she did not grow up with a mother, but a photo posted by Bamban’s LGU Website says otherwise. In a now-deleted post, Alice greeted her allegedly “mommy” with a happy birthday message. Days after the senate inquiry, the website took the post down immediately.
- She mentioned that her father was a retired private businessman named Anghelito Guo, but later admitted that her father’s real name is Jian Zhong Guo.
- Aside from her questionable past, Guo also said she couldn’t remember a lot of things, such as her place of birth, the place where they lived at the time she was born, where her parents got married, and most importantly, her school records. Guo explained she was homeschooled by a teacher named Rubylyn but was never given grade slips nor a diploma that would prove she completed her education.
- According to Hontiveros, Alice Guo literally just popped out of nowhere. With the help of her researchers and locals, the senator found out that nobody knew who Guo was before she ran for mayor in 2022. Moreover, her social media accounts (Instagram and YouTube channels) were only created in April 2022.
- Guo has no record of her real nationality. Hontiveros suspects Alice Guo might be a Chinese “asset” whose sole purpose is to infiltrate the Philippines and its government, from the root up. Although this is a speculation, this wouldn’t come as a surprise anymore.
- Claims to own hectares of land and a hog-raising business that she used to finance her campaign in 2022. However, Guo also claimed that her farm suffered major losses during the pandemic, which piqued the attention of Gatchalian.
Guo’s involvement in Chinese-owned illegal POGOs
If you thought Alice Guo’s answers to questions pertaining to her true identity were perplexing, wait until you learn about what brought her to the Senate in the first place. Senators Risa Hontiveros and Win Gatchalian tried to get answers about whether or not Guo is involved in protecting, financing, and operating POGOs (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators).
Tarlac POGOs were raided in February 2023 and March 2024
Last year, February 2023, a POGO company in Bamban, Tarlac called “Hong Sheng Gaming Technology Incorporated” was raided. POGOs have long been connected to several crimes like drugs, human-trafficking, kidnapping, prostitution, killings, and fraud. Hong Sheng continued to operate and just changed its name to “Zun Yuan Technology Incorporated” but was raided again in March 2024. Surprisingly, both of these companies were located in the same compound owned by Baofu corporation.
But, what is Alice Guo’s involvement with these POGOs? Well, the controversial mayor was once an incorporator of Baofu but claimed to have sold her stakes in the company before running for public office. Then, she also confirms that she indeed facilitated the application of local permits for Hong Sheng Gaming Technology Inc. However, during the senate inquiry, Guo denies the allegation that she has ties with Hong Sheng and Zun Yuan.
“I am not connected with Pogo, I am not an operator, and I am not a protector of Pogo. I am not related to any operation or activities within or outside Pogos”, said Guo.
What’s next for Alice Guo?
Senators Hontiveros and Gatchalian, as well as millions of Filipinos, are already suspecting that something is fishy with Alice Guo. She seems “dubious” with her responses. Is Alice Guo really Chinese? Is she part of the “tanim tao” scheme where the Chinese aim to infiltrate the Philippines?
Nevertheless, this all boils down to how she was able to run as mayor in Bamban, Tarlac. With the lack of records, it would be nearly impossible for Guo to even apply. Gatchalian and Hontiveros will continue to probe into and examine Alice Guo and her alleged involvement in illegal POGOs in Tarlac.
