'I am Alice Guo... a Filipino citizen'

Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo as early as 2022 said that many have been asking who she was.

According to Ian Cruz's report on "24 Oras," Guo said at her proclamation rally on April 2, 2022, that she was a Filipino citizen.

"Ako po si Alice Guo, taga Barangay Virgen delos Remedios. Ang nanay ko po ay Pilipina. Ang tatay ko po ay isang Chinese," Guo said then.

"Ako po ay isang Filipino citizen at may pusong Bamban," she told the campaign crowd.

Over the past few days, Guo's identity has been questioned amid the Senate inquiry on the alleged illegal operations at the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator hub in Bamban.

Senator Risa Hontiveros said Guo's birth certificate indicated that her father was a Filipino but was said to be Chinese in business records.

According to Guo's certificate of candidacy obtained by GMA Integrated News Research, she was born in 1986 in Tarlac, Tarlac.

It also showed that in October 2021, Guo had been a resident of Bamban for more than 18 years.

Arnold Patawaran, the chairman of Barangay Virgen delos Remedios, said he first saw Guo in 2005.

He said they also talked in 2008 about a property that was adjacent to a farm belonging to the barangay official's family.

Patawaran said he had already seen Guo's father and a sibling but not her mother.

A Senate committee is now looking into Guo's alleged involvement in the POGO behind the Bamban town hall.

The POGO was raided in March in connection with allegations of human trafficking and serious human illegal detention.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said an electric bill with Guo's name was recovered in the area.

A vehicle registered in Guo's name was also found at the site.

GMA Integrated News tried to reach Guo through her various known contacts but she has yet to reply.

Guo has repeatedly denied any role in the alleged illegal activities at the POGO.

She said it had been a while since she sold the vehicle.

As regards the electric bill, Guo said the property on which the POGO stood was previously hers and the name of the account might have been no longer transferred to the present owners. —NB, GMA Integrated News