Lawyer denies Alice Guo's relation to Guo Hua Ping

The legal counsel of suspended Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo has denied her involvement to a certain Guo Hua Ping, a Chinese passport holder who Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said could be the same person as the mayor. 

In a phone interview, Atty. Stephen David, lawyer of Guo, said that many people are named “Guo Hua Ping” and urged Gatchalian to bring his documents to a proper forum and present his evidence. 

“Kung meron silang matibay na ebidensya na they are one and the same, eh di iprisinta nila sa proper forum para masagot namin. Kasi mahirap sumagot sa mga publicity na ganoon eh,” David said, based on Ivan Mayrina's report on Unang Balita on Wednesday. 

(If they have strong evidence that Alice Guo and Guo Hua Ping are one and the same, they should present it in the proper forum so we can answer. It's hard to respond to a publicity like that.) 

’Substantial evidence’

In a separate statement, Guo's camp said the suspended mayor is ready to address these allegations by providing "substantial evidence" proving that she is a real Filipino.

"As the current Mayor of Bamban, Tarlac, Mayor Guo acknowledges the paramount importance of her eligibility for office. She stands ready to present substantial evidence supporting her Filipino citizenship, including birth records and affidavits. Her lifelong actions and beliefs as a Filipino citizen affirm her rightful candidacy and tenure in office," the statement released by her lawyers read.

Her lawyer said Guo asserts her Filipino citizenship based on her birthright, cultural ties, and continuous residency in the Philippines, adding that there are community members who are willing to execute affidavits and share their history with Guo.

Furthermore, Guo's lawyer pointed out that China does not recognize dual citizenship, saying that this allegation "runs counter to the fact that she is required, and indeed secured, a Chinese visa as visitor of said country whenever she visits China."

"Mayor Guo welcomes any challenges to her nationality status, property ownership, or eligibility for office in a proper forum with due consideration of her rights and the best interests of the Bamban community," the statement further read.

Gatchalian on Tuesday presented records from the Board of Investments of the Guo family's application for a Special Investors Resident Visa (SIRV). The documents showed Guo Hua Ping entered the Philippines on January 12, 2003 when she was still 13 years old. 

"Alice Guo might be Guo Hua Ping who entered the Philippines on January 12, 2003 when she was 13 years old. Her real birth date is on Aug 31, 1990," the lawmaker said. 

Gatchalian also revealed that Guo Hua Ping's registered mother for their SIRV is Lin Wenyi, whom he earlier suspected as Guo's real mother and not Alice Leal Guo.

Earlier this month, Guo refuted allegations that her real mother is Chinese national Lin Wenyi and insisted that Amelia Leal is her biological mother. 

The embattled mayor earlier said that she is her father's love child with their helper Amelia, who left her when she was still a child.

However, the Philippine Statistics Authority said it has no birth records of Guo's supposed parents.

Guo is at the center of the Senate investigation into the raided Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) hub in Bamban, Tarlac after several documents showed that she was personally involved in the processing of documents for its operations.

Guo's citizenship was also questioned due to her inconsistent testimonies about her background and the supposed dubious documents regarding her Filipino citizenship. —Giselle Ombay and Hana Bordey/KBK/RSJ, GMA Integrated News