Alice Guo confirms being congratulated by Chinese community when she won as mayor

Dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo on Thursday said that she and her father were congratulated through a Chinese newspaper when she won as mayor in the 2022 elections. 

Guo made the confirmation during the hearing of the House quad-committee, when Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro flashed a photo of a printed material written in Chinese, which indicated a photo of the former mayor and her name. 

“Your honor ang alam ko po diyan, ‘yan po ay isang newspaper po na I think from the Chinese community na kino-congratulate nila ‘yung daddy ko po. ‘Yung dad ko po kasi isang Chinese,” Guo said. 

(Your honor, I think that is a newspaper from the Chinese community congratulating my father. My father is Chinese.) 

“Tingin ko po since Chinese sila at nag-congratulate po sila through Chinese newspaper,” she added when asked why it was only her father who was congratulated. 

(I think since they are Chinese, he was congratulated through a Chinese newspaper.) 

Later on during the same hearing, Guo said she believes she was also congratulated by the Chinese community as her name was mentioned in the newspaper.

However, she told Quezon 2nd District Representative David ''Jay-jay'' Suarez that it may be better to get a translator to explain what was really indicated in the material. She also said that she was not the one who published the newspaper. 

“Your honor hindi rin ako masyado sure para doon sa mga nakalagay. I think it’s better na kuha na lang po tayo ng isang translator po para do’n talaga. Kasi andoon din ‘yung name ko po, ang understanding ko po diyan, kino-congratulate po niya ako, ‘yung tatay ko,” she said. 

(Your honor, I'm not so sure about what's written there. I think it's better that we just get a translator. Because my name is also there, my understanding is that they are congratulating me and my father.) 

Guo claims that her father is Guo Jian Zhong. She earlier said that she is her father's love child with their helper Amelia, who left her when she was still a child. 

Later on, it was revealed that Lin Wen Yi is the registered mother of Chinese passport holder Guo Hua Ping.

Luistro, meanwhile, said that she consulted some people who know how to read the Chinese characters in the newspaper. 

“According to them, the exact translation of these characters goes like this: 'Congratulations to the first Chinese mayor, Alice Leal Guo of Bamban,'” the solon said, adding that the poster came from businessmen in Manila who originated from the province of Fujian in China. 

In response, Guo said, “Uhmm maam, wala pong ganoon nakalagay [there’s nothing like that indicated].”

Luistro also showed a photo of a child in uniform, who looks like Guo. However, the former mayor refused to confirm if she was the kid in the photo. 

She also invoked her right against self-incrimination when she was asked to confirm if she was the one in the photo of a Chinese passport. The solon, on the other hand, said that Guo’s mother, as indicated in the passport, was also from Fujian. 

“Nonetheless Mr Chair, I wish to manifest that these documents are evidence to show that indeed the nationality of Ms. Guo is Chinese,” Luistro said. 

“I understand that the right to run for a public office is a right which is exclusive to Filipino citizens. And I wish to manifest as well that this should be dealt with by law because this is something which opens the country to issues of national security and interest,” she added. 

Guo is currently being investigated by the Congress regarding her possible links with the raided Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) hub in Bamban, Tarlac. 

Her citizenship was also questioned due to her inconsistent testimonies about her background and the supposed doubtful documents that could prove that she is a true Filipino.—LDF, GMA Integrated News