Alice Guo<\/a> became a national sensation after police raided a POGO (Philippine Online Gambling Operator) complex in her town of Bamban in the northern province of Tarlac last February. The business, Zun Yuan Technology, was suspected of involvement in crypto scams, human trafficking, and cybercrime.<\/p>\nInside, they found hundreds of trafficked workers. They also found Guo\u2019s car. Police also discovered that the land on which the POGO complex was built was partially owned by Guo.<\/strong><\/p>\nFurther investigation into Guo\u2019s background prompted concerns about national security. She claimed to be a natural-born Philippine citizen, the love child of a Chinese father and a Filipina maid. She said she grew up \u201chidden\u201d and friendless on a pig farm.<\/p>\n
Just Who is Alice Guo?<\/strong><\/h2>\nBut her wealth, which she previously flaunted, was inconsistent with that of a small-town mayor in a Philippine backwater. Her birth certificate was registered when she was 17 years old, and her fingerprints matched those of a Chinese national named Guo Hua Ping who entered the country as a teenager.<\/p>\n
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Residents of Bamban, population 78K, say that no one knew Guo before she ran for mayor in 2022. All of her social media accounts were registered that same year. Previously, she had no digital footprint.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
All of this has led to accusations that she is a Chinese asset, which she has denied. The allegations come at a time of increased tension between Manila and Beijing over disputed territories in the South China Sea.<\/p>\n
Last month, a warrant was issued for Guo\u2019s arrest after she twice failed to appear at a Senate hearing to answer questions about her citizenship and the inconsistencies surrounding her birth and upbringing.<\/p>\n
According to the Philippines\u2019 Bureau of Immigration and the country\u2019s Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), Guo flew to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on July 18. Three days later, she hopped on a flight to Singapore. On August 18, she traveled to Batam, Indonesia, via ferry, according to PAOCC.<\/p>\n