Senators say Alice Guo may have lied about her mother, who may be Chinese
Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo may have lied about her parents and that they're possibly both Chinese, two senators said.
Sen. Win Gatchalian, in a Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum on May 29, said that based on his investigation, a certain "Lin Wen Yi" was introduced to the people of Valenzuela, where the Guos used to rent a warehouse for their family business.
Gatchalian, who served as the city mayor for nine years, noted that this may be contrary to Guo saying her mother is a Filipino maid.
“Kung saan siya rumenta ng warehouse, itong taong si Wen Yi, parang pinapakilalang nanay niya doon sa mga taga doon sa Valenzuela," he said. "So, ako ang personal assessment ko, this might be the biological mother ni Alice Guo. Based on mga tanong-tanong ko."
"In our system, we follow the bloodline," he added. "Kung ano ang parents mo, yun ang nationality mo."
Documents from the Securities and Exchanges Commission (SEC) previously cited by Sen. Rise Hontiveros listed the names of the co-incorporators of Guo at least seven businesses: Shiela and Siemen Guo, her siblings; Jian Zhang Guo, her father; and Lin Wen Yi.
Hontiveros said the identity of Guo is "crucial," as it would prove whether Guo lied under oath during the Senate hearings.
Hontiveros also cited travel records showing Jian Zhong Guo and Lin Wen Yi traveling together at least 170 times over six years. She wondered whether they're business partners or a married couple.
A document from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) showed the birthdates and addresses of Guo's co-incorporators. It showed Lin Wen Yi was born in 1971. Guo was born in 1986, meaning Lin Wen Yi was 15 years old at the time. Shiela Guo, whom Alice acknowledged as her sister, meanwhile, is two years older.
An additional source from Hontiveros also suggested that Guo's mother is known as "Winnie." This, she said, is possibly a Filipinized version of Lin Wen Yi.
The Philippine Statistics Authority, meanwhile, said the "parents" that Guo listed in her birth certificate, Amelia Leal and Angelito Guo, had "no records," leading to speculations that they could be "fictitious."
It could also mean that they just simply didn't register, and the PSA noted that Guo may file a petition to correct erroneous records in her birth certificate.
Guo is in hot water due to her alleged links to Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) companies in her town.
Hongsheng Gaming Technology Incorporated was raided in February 2023 and Zun Yuan Technology Incorporated in March this year. They're accused of trafficking and scams.
Guo was questioned why she was supposedly unaware of such alleged illegal activities.
In the Senate hearing, she was asked about her background to confirm her nationality, especially since she currently holds a high post in the local government.
Senators also noted that according to Bamban residents, the mayor came out of nowhere during the 2022 elections.
They speculated that Guo could be a Chinese spy infiltrating the Philippine government.
Guo has since maintained that she's Filipino and has denied having ties to POGOs in Bamban and being a spy.
She also said that she was raised on the farm of her father, was homeschooled, and that her maid of a mother left her.