Senator Risa Hontiveros clarified on Sunday that controversial Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo is not being investigated as a criminal, but lawmakers have been looking into possible loopholes in current legislations that allowed someone with a questionable background to hold a public office.
Guo has been the subject of an ongoing high-profile Senate inquiry under the Hontiveros-led Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality over allegations that she is engaged with illegal business practices, among other loopholes in her narrative.
“If ever there might be cases in court, they have the jurisdiction over these liabilities, what they’re saying as ‘burden of proof,’” Hontiveros said, indicating that Guo is not being subjected to trial by publicity because they are not in the court of law.
Guo is being accused of getting involved in the recent discovery of unlawful Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGO) in Bamban, considered as biggest raids conducted by authorities, which the mayor denied. It was located in a property formerly owned by Guo near the town’s municipal hall.
Hontiveros said the senators are simply doing their jobs in investigating this issue to determine if there are laws or even policies, particularly in terms of regulating the POGO industry, that have been violated which paved the way for human trafficking and crypto scamming cases.
The senator mentioned that two of the listed co-incorporators of Guo in her companies were prime suspects in the biggest money laundering case in Singapore. “We are establishing if POGO was used also to give way to a possible (case of) espionage,” she added.
Guo’s identity as a Filipino was also questioned because of her late registration of documents. Senators cross referenced the information listed therein and found several inconsistencies. Hontiveros noted that if it can be proven that the mayor is pretending to be a Filipino, she can be held liable.
Hontiveros emphasized they are looking for ‘burden of evidence’ from the camp of Guo. They noticed that as the Senate investigation goes on, more evidence is being presented that bolster’s the mayor’s connection to the POGO activities in what she claims to be her hometown.
On social media, eagle-eyed netizens were also quick to point out that for someone who claims to live an ordinary life and come from a humble background, Guo’s penchant for luxury items and public admission of owning a helicopter does not make any sense.
Hontiveros also stressed there was evidence to prove that the mayor told many lies during the Senate hearing. She said Guo formed a habit of evading questions and gave conflicting answers to even the most basic, logical and reasonable inquiries.
The senator emphasized that they are not politicizing the issue, despite earning criticisms from the Filipino-Chinese community. She said the ongoing Senate probe on Mayor Guo is all in the interest of the public good.
The Hontiveros panel said it will invite the alleged parents of the Bamban mayor—a certain Angelito Guo and Amelia Leal—to further shed light on the claims of the controversial politician.
