The Senate will be leaving former Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo’s fate in the hands of the Philippine courts as the panel hearing her alleged involvement in the illegal activities of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGO) concluded its investigation into the case.
Senate deputy minority leader Risa Hontiveros announced this during the 16th hearing of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality on POGOs on Tuesday, November 26.
At the very least, Hontiveros said the committee was able to unmask Guo, also known as Guo Hua Ping, “as a Chinese national mocking our Filipino identity to amass wealth and commit crimes against true Filipinos.”
“But I leave your fate, Ms. Guo, up to our courts, and I look forward to the day you face justice,” said Hontiveros, chairperson of the Senate women’s panel, during the hearing.
“Masaya akong wala ka rito dahil huwes na ang kaharap mo (I’m glad that you are not here because you are now facing the courts). We abide by the rule of law in this country, and these hearings were never a trial for your crimes. The same goes for your co-conspirators and bad actors,” the senator said.
Guo a no-show
Guo was unable to attend the culmination of the Senate panel’s hearing.
In her order dated Nov. 20, 2024, Pasig City Regional Trial Court Branch 167 Judge Annielyn Medes-Cabelis said the committee’s request to allow Guo to appear before the Senate hearing is denied as Guo has to attend the court’s scheduled hearing on Nov. 26 at 8:30 a.m.
Guo is facing a non-bailable offense of qualified human trafficking before the Pasig court.
Despite the end of the Senate’s hearing on POGOs, Hontiveros said the Senate will push through with introducing laws that would put a stop to the travesties in the very system of laws and policies of the government that often go unchecked and allowed to fester.
“This is only the beginning of the legislative reforms that we will strive to push, to ensure to every Filipino that there will never be another Alice Guo,” Hontiveros said.
“Guo Hua Ping, sisiguraduhin ko na hindi ka na makakaulit dito. At matututo ang lahat sa gagawin sa ‘yo (I'll make sure you can't do this again. And everyone will learn from what would be done to you),” she said.
“Additionally the arrest order of Alice Guo or Guo Hua Ping is quashed,” she further said.
‘Agent of influence’
During the hearing, Francisco Ashley Acedillo, deputy director general of the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA), told the Senate women’s panel that the agency considers Guo as an "agent of influence."
Acedillo disclosed the agency’s stand on Guo when the panel asked to categorize whether the former local chief executive is considered a foreign spy or an agent of influence.
According to Acedillo, the intelligence community has no definite answer yet, explaining that being a foreign intelligence agent and an agent of influence is different. NICA also could not determine if Guo is trained or supervised by a foreign intelligence agency.
“However, within the historical context, given that these activities have been common especially during the Cold War, the activities and the facts that have come to light so far in this committee and other committees especially in the House (of Representatives), point to the fact that she is (an agent of influence). And even in discussions within the intelligence community, there is a consensus that indeed she is an agent of influence,” Acedillo said.
While there is still no law that would define what an "agent of influence" is, the NICA official said it was clear that Guo used her stature as a mayor to benefit the country that she is serving.
Espionage activities
Acedillo also confirmed that the Philippines is indeed being targeted by hacking groups in China or so-called “Chinese Advanced Persistent Threat” (APT) groups.
According to Acedillo, APT’s are state-backed, advanced and highly sophisticated hacking groups.
“With the information that we have, we can confirm that indeed Chinese APT groups are operating or targeting the Philippines, whether government or private sector,” he said.
“We have monitored some of them and again, in an executive session, if required, we can share some information,” added the official.
To this, Hontiveros said the panel will wait for the conduct of an executive session before preparing for the drafting of a committee report on the case.