Dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo (Facebook)

Alleged Chinese spy Alice Guo allegedly had her campaign during the 2022 elections for the mayoral seat of Bamban, Tarlac "arranged" by China’s state security.

This was raised by a certain Wang Fu Gui, a friend and former cellmate of the self-confessed spy She Zhijiang, during the continuation of the Senate’s probe on illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) on Tuesday, Oct. 8.

She Zhijiang earlier claimed in an Al Jazeera documentary that Guo was a spy, serving under China’s Ministry of State Security.

Senator Risa Hontiveros’ office was able to conduct a Zoom interview with Wang, who then disclosed details about the alleged espionage activities.

According to Wang, he was entrusted by She to handle “top-secret documents”. 

He claimed that the content of the files was “large” and he could only declassify a “portion” under She’s authorization. This would then lead to the discovery of information involving Guo, whose real name is allegedly Guo Hua Ping.

“She was a spy, but not a special one. It just so happens there is a copy of her security background there. And her situation with Mr. She has a lot of similarities,” said Wang, who was speaking in his mother tongue.

Asked about how Guo became a spy, Wang explained that all field agents recruited by China’s State Security go under deep investigation into their respective background information. 

“There are also special hacking teams and hometown associations and chambers of commerce in charge of overseas information collection, including the secrets and weaknesses of some people that will be held in the background information. And this is the main method of controlling the field agents overseas by state security,” Wang said.

“For example, Guo Hua Ping’s fake Filipino identity is such a secret and weakness that she can only listen to state security. Mr. She’s experience is similar,” he added.

Wang further noted that many of the spies working for China not only collect intelligence, but also work for the country’s political and economic interests.

He says there is also a “correlation” between illegal POGOs and scamming businesses with espionage operations.

“It has a lot to do with the Chinese government’s exuberant intelligence. There’s also the fact that all of this is totally connected to the Belt and Road, which is also just a part of a huge united front and intelligence strategic plan for the whole world, including foreign colonization tactics,” he pointed out.

In the same interview, Wang named a certain Ma Dongli, who he described as She’s state security contact.

Ma Dongli, alleged to be a member of the Communist Party of China, was supposedly the “handler” of Guo.

Hontiveros said her office made initial verifications on this claim and found that both She and Ma Dongli had “deep ties” to the Philippines based on travel records.

The Senate deputy minority leader expressed the need to talk with She himself and asked the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to make it happen.

“Of course, mga kaibigan (my friends), we know that Wang and She perhaps have their own agenda and interests. And we are, in no way, exculpating them from any crimes that may have been committed,” she noted.

According to Wang, She Zhijiang would be willing to cooperate with the Philippine government.

However, the self-confessed spy is currently incarcerated in Thailand with limited communication to the outside world following the release of the documentary.

“Mr. She Zhijiang is now reported to have been severely suppressed by the Chinese government for his revelation of the espionage case involving Ms. Guo Hua Ping,” said Wang.

‘Media mileage’ 

Asked about the allegations that she was a Chinese spy, Guo remained firm that she wasn't one.

The former mayor also asserted that she did not know both She Zhijiang and Ma Dongli when presented with their images.

This prompted Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada to wonder why Guo’s name was mentioned in the documentary in the first place if she does not know the personalities linked to espionage operations. 

“Senator, kaya hihingi rin po ako ng tulong po sa inyo, tulungan niyo po akong mag-imbestiga. Hindi po ako spy at para naman po hindi ako magmukhang kawawa talaga,” said Guo.

(Senator, this is why I will also ask for your help, please help me investigate. I'm not a spy and I don't want to appear pitiful)

Guo claims that there's only one reason for the spy accusation: media mileage.

“Baka gusto niya lang din ng media mileage ko po ngayon, kasi sobrang taas ng media mileage ko po ngayon,” she said, noting that there are further motives behind it.

(Maybe they just want to capitalize on my media mileage right now because my media mileage is currently very high.)

Not running in 2025

Amid reports of her running again as mayor for Bamban, Tarlac in the 2025 elections, Guo informed the Senate panel that she has no plans of doing so.

“Your honor, haharapin ko po muna ‘yung mga accusations po sa akin (I will first face the accusations against me),” said Guo. 

“Linisin ko po muna ‘yung sarili ko po, para maging fair din po para sa constituents ko po na minamahal ko po,” she added.

(I will clear my name first, to be fair to my beloved constituents.)

This contradicts an earlier announcement made by her legal counsel Stephen David, who said Guo was set to file a certificate of candidacy (COC).

Laws to amend

Estrada, who chairs the Senate Committee on National Defense and Security, underscored the need to amend the country’s “outdated” anti-espionage law amid allegations on the presence of Chinese spies.

During his opening statement in the hearing, the Senate president pro tempore pointed out that the presence of spies in the country, especially if proven true, was a “serious national security concern”.

“There is a need to take a closer look into this and verify whether or not covert and illegal operations are being undertaken here as part of a foreign country’s global influence operations,” he said.

Last year, Estrada filed Senate Bill (SB) No. 2368 to amend the 83-year-old Commonwealth Act (CA) No. 616, which embodied the law punishing espionage and other offenses against national security.

He said his proposed measure would expand the coverage of the law to include cyber espionage and provide stiffer penalties therein.

Meanwhile, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian is pushing for stricter rules on the late registration of birth certificates.

The lawmaker notes that the present system is filled with “several gaps”, which has allowed many criminals to pose as Filipinos and commit crimes in the country.

“Importante rin na ang ating defense and intelligence agencies na tignan ito ng masinsinan dahil ito ay dapat nating gawing eye-opener, magbukas ng ating isipan, na dahil sa kahinaan ng ating sistema nakakapasok ang ibang bansa sa sarili nating political system,” noted Gatchalian, referring to Guo, who is supposedly a Chinese national.

(It is also important for our defense and intelligence agencies to closely examine this issue because it should serve as an eye-opener, open our minds, that because of the weaknesses in our system, other countries are able to infiltrate our political system.)