By Leonardo Micua

 

VIRAL on YouTube for over a week now is the Senate inquiry over the POGO hub in Bamban, Tarlac that was raided by lawmen led by the Philippine Anti-Organized Crime Commission and literally opened cans of worms and hidden skeletons in closets of some incumbent and past officials.

Put on the spot by the Senate inquiry was the lady mayor of Bamban, Alice Leal Guo, suspected to be involved in the illegal POGO operations in buildings built by a corporation, Baofu, which she once owned and headed.

There were 36 buildings, including 14 villas, a shopping mall and yes, an Olympic size swimming pool located behind the Bamban Municipal Hall, all built by Baofu, with Guo then as president until she divested her stake in that corporation when she became mayor.

Mayor Guo flatly denied her involvement in the illegal operations of POGO inside the Baofu-built buildings, which records tend to show, were brought to the site by a company named Hongsheng Gaming, of which she was also suspected to be a part of.

Online gambling is banned in China but the last administration allowed it through a license from the PAGCOR because it was deemed to be the goose that lays the golden eggs. Recent years, however, showed some POGOs were delinquent in the payment of millions in taxes due the government.

Worse, POGO operations led to illegal and criminal activities, from scamming and cheating prostitution, kidnapping, illegal detention and yes, even murders.

But what actually caught our attention other than the evils of POGO were Mayor Guo’s inconsistent claims about her personal circumstances, i.e. place of birth, scholastic records, and whether she has siblings or not, when grilled by both Senators Risa Hontiveros and Sherwin Gatchalian.

She claimed she was born in their house but could not tell where it was exactly located, that she was on home schooling from elementary to high school and did not know if her education was accredited by the Department of Education. Her explanation for lack of details: She lived all her life in the farm with parents tending their hogs which was their main line of business.

What was also strange about her persona was she was already 17 years old when her live birth was registered. Dates of birth are normally registered on the days the babies are born.

Then, she was found to have only registered as a voter of Bamban in April 2021 in order to qualify to run for  mayor of Bamban in the May 9, 2022 polls.

Her rise as mayor on first try was considered phenomenal as she did never served as SK chairman or kagawad, barangay kapitan, councilor or vice  mayor.

An independent candidate for mayor, she bested six other contenders and won by some 500 votes over her closest rival.

Obviously suspecting that she’s not a Filipino, Senator Hontiveros required the submission of Guo’s application as a voter, her Statement of Contributions and Expenses and Statement of Assets and Liabilities, and other documents to prove her Filipino citizenship. Perhaps, the BI may be asked to present travel list of the lady mayor.

Another derogatory finding on her was the discovery that one of her business partners who allegedly managed to escape during the PAOCC raid by passing through an underground tunnel in one of the villas he was living, was in fact a fugitive in China! But Mayor Guo lamely said she did not know that the guy was wanted in his homeland.

For a smart woman moving around in her own chopper whenever she goes to Manila and other places in PH, she’s undoubtedly wallowing in wealth. Mayor Guo is clearly a trained entrepreneur, who’s fluent in Tagalog and English yet she said she never went to college.

While the Bureau of Immigration and the DILG are looking into the other details on Mayor Guo’s life, PAOCC has not stopped running after illegal aliens in the Philippines.

Also raided recently were unaccredited hospitals and clinics in Manila manned by unlicensed Chinese and Vietnamese doctors, nurses, and pharmacists treating sick illegal POGO workers who can’t seek treatment in Philippine hospitals and clinics.

So, if it is really true that she’s spying for China, then we’re all in big trouble. Cagayan is already teeming with Chinese students and there is a report that Chinese men of military age are making a subdivision in Paranaque, Metro Manila as their own sleeper cell.

Share your Comments or Reactions

comments

Powered by Facebook Comments