Hontiveros flags Bamban Mayor Guo's alleged business ties with foreign criminals

Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros on Tuesday raised questions regarding Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo's alleged previous business partnerships with foreigners who have criminal records.

In a statement, Hontiveros, who has questioned Guo's identity, cited Baofu Land Development Inc.'s 2019 Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) documents. Zun Yuan Technology Incorporated, a Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) which was raided in March, operated inside the Baofu compound behind the Bamban municipal hall.

Hontiveros noted that in the SEC documents, Baofu's incorporators included Guo, Rachel Joan Malonzo Carreon, a Filipino; Zhiyang Huang, a Cypriot; Zhang Ruijin, a Chinese; and Baoying Lin, a Dominican.

The lawmaker mentioned news reports on Zhang Ruijin's conviction last month for being linked to the "largest money laundering case in Singapore." Citing a report by Channel News Asia, Hontiveros said the Chinese allegedly has "$41 million in assets overseas, including shareholdings in a Philippine real estate development company."

She also noted Baoying Lin's criminal charges.

"Ang daming red flag ni Mayor Alice Guo. Wala na ngang maayos na record sa Pilipinas, may mga koneksyon pa sa mga kriminal. Is this why she is able to afford her lavish lifestyle? Galing ba sa mga kriminal at pugante ang pambili niya ng chopper at mga luxury cars?" Hontiveros asked.

(Mayor Alice Guo has many red flags. She doesn't have a clean record in the Philippines, then she has connections with criminals. Is this why she is able to afford her lavish lifestyle? Did criminals and fugitives give her money to buy a helicopter and luxury cars?)

"Given her connections to criminals, I welcome the DILG's move to remove Mayor Guo's power over the local police," the senator said, adding that, "Dapat wala nang access si Mayor sa ating kapulisan kung siya pala ay protektor din ng mga kriminal (The Mayor should not have access to the police force if it turns out that she is a protector of criminals.)

Hontiveros also emphasized Guo's statement that the latter's 2022 mayoral bid was backed by the latter's "friends," which prompted the senator to ask, "Itong mga kriminal at puganteng kaibigan ba ang sinasabi niya?"

(Is Guo referring to criminals and fugitives when she talks about her "friends?")

"Kahit pa sabihin niyang nag-divest na siya sa Baofu bago tumakbo, the fact remains: She has ties with these criminals. Kaya ba siya tumakbong Mayor para maprotektahan niya ang mga kaibigan niya? I am looking forward to our hearing on Wednesday. Sana naman may maalala na si mayor," Hontiveros said.

(Even if she said that she has already divested her stake in Baofu before running for public office, the fact remains: She has ties with these criminals. Did she run for may to protect her friends? I am looking forward to our hearing on Wednesday. I hope the mayor will be able to remember things this time.)

GMA News Online has reached out to Guo's office regarding the matter, but it has yet to provide a response as of posting time.

Guo's background was questioned during the investigation by the Senate women, children, family relations, and gender equality committee's investigation on the raided POGO hub in Bamban, Tarlac last March.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian earlier said his office obtained a copy of the Sangguniang Bayan Resolution dated September 2020 containing the council's approval of the application made by Guo, who was then a private citizen, for the license to operate Hongsheng Gaming Technology Inc.

Hongsheng was raided in February 2023. The same compound was then used by Zun Yuan Technology when it was raided in the Baofu compound last March.

According to Hontiveros, Guo's name only floated during the 2022 elections and the latter has no hospital record of birth and no school records in the Philippines.

She noted that Guo only has a certificate of live birth, which indicates that her father is a Filipino. However, Hontiveros said business records show that Guo's father declared himself as a Chinese national.

Guo has her registration of live birth, but this was filed only when she was already 17 years old.

The Senate panel is set to continue its investigation on Wednesday. — VDV, GMA Integrated News