Alice Guo says China not part of escape plan

Dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo on Tuesday said that she did not contemplate going to China after she fled the Philippines.

The former mayor made the statement after Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa asked Guo of her next plan if she was not arrested in Indonesia earlier this month.

"Halimbawa, hindi ka pinakialaman ng Indonesian authorities, anong next plan mo? What's your supposed next move?" Dela Rosa asked.

(For example, if you were not apprehended by Indonesian authorities, what was your next plan?)

Guo said she was really contemplating returning to the Philippines so she could face the allegations against her.

"Honestly [senator], nag-uusap po kami na uuwi na po ako dito sa Pilipinas. Haharapin ko po at magpapaliwanag po ako," Guo answered.

(Honestly senator, we were discussing that I will go back to the Philippines. I will face the allegations and explain my side.)

Dela Rosa then asked Guo if she was entertaining the thought of "going home" to China.

"Dito po ako uuwi... China, wala po," she said.

(I will go home to the Philippines. I had no plans to go to China.)

The National Bureau of Investigation earlier confirmed that Guo has identical fingerprints as Chinese citizen Guo Hua Ping. Guo, however, refuses to admit that she is the said person.

Guo admitted that she fled the Philippines in the first week of July. She was arrested in Indonesia on September 4.

Dela Rosa said the reason why he raised this question is because of theories that Guo might be a spy from China.

"Kasi the safest place for a sleeper cell agent is to go back home, 'yung home base niya. Safe na safe siya doon sa China if indeed she is a state agent of China," he said.

(The safest place for a sleeper cell agent is to go back home, to her home base. She is safest there if she is indeed a state agent of China.)

But with Guo's answer, Dela Rosa suspected that the former mayor did not consider going to China because of her involvement in the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).

"Kaya siguro ayaw mong pumunta ng China dahil involved ka ng POGO. Siguradong katay ka sa gobyerno ng China pag umuwi ka doon dahil galit na galit ang gobyerno ng China against POGO. Am I correct?" Dela Rosa said.

(Maybe the reason why you don't want to go to China is because you are involved in POGO. I'm sure you'll be held accountable by the Chinese government if you go home there because they strongly oppose POGOs. Am I correct?)

In response, Guo reiterated that she is not involved in POGO operations.

"Sen, hindi po ako involved sa POGO and in fact, 'yung tatay ko po nasa China po ngayon kung kami po...ay involved po sana po... Tama naman po kayo na galit po ang Chinese government sa POGO," she said, but was unable to continue her explanation because she was interrupted by the senator.

(Senator, I am not involved in POGO. In fact, my father is in China right now. You are right, the Chinese government is against POGOs.)

The Chinese Embassy has repeatedly supported the Philippine government's opposition against POGOs and welcomed the announcement of its total ban.

"Hindi po 'yan ang reason kung bakit hindi po ako pupunta ng China. Ang reason ko po ay babalik po ako dito sa Pilipinas at magpapaliwanag ako dito at haharapin ko po kung ano man 'yung mga alegasyon po," Guo added.

(That is not the reason why I didn't want to go to China. The reason is I wanted to return to the Philippines to explain and face the allegations against me.)

Despite Guo's denial, Dela Rosa said the former mayor "cannot remove the fact" that she is involved in POGO operations.

"Whether you deny it or not kaming lahat dito naniniwala talaga na involved ka sa POGO. Kung mag-insist ka, you can tell that to the marines not to the policeman," Dela Rosa, a former PNP chief, quipped.

(Whether you deny it or not, no one here believes that you are not involved in POGOs. If you continue to insist, you can tell that to the marines but not to the policeman.)

At one point, Senator Risa Hontiveros encouraged Guo to answer the allegations raised against her during the Senate hearings, noting the former mayor's answer that she wanted to go back to the Philippines to explain.

"Sinabi mo Guo Hua Ping, balak mo sana, gusto niyo sana bumalik dito at magpaliwanag. I highly encourage you to do that during this hearing. Magpaliwanag hangga't kaya mo. I think you know what I mean," Hontiveros said.

(Guo Hua Ping, you said that you wanted to come back here to explain. I highly encourage you to do that during this hearing. Explain as much as you can. I think you know what I mean.)—RF, GMA Integrated News