Embattled Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo is at the center of controversy following accusations by Senator Sherwin Gatchalian that she is actually a Chinese national named Hua Ping Guo. The senator presented documents including a Chinese passport and a Special Investors Resident Visa to support his claim.
In response, Guo firmly denied the allegations, asserting her Filipino identity. “My real mother is Amelia Leal, and my true name is Alice Leal Guo, as stated on my birth certificate, not Guo Hua Ping as alleged by Senator Gatchalian,” Guo’s statement read.
Guo’s legal representative, Atty. Stephen David, argued that the accusations are baseless, emphasizing that if Guo possessed a Chinese passport, there would be no need for her to obtain a Chinese visa. “We are prepared to face these allegations in court,” David stated on Teleradyo Serbisyo.
The senator argued that physical similarities between Mayor Guo and the individual in the visa document are undeniable. However, Guo’s camp is considering legal action against those disseminating her personal documents, such as her Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth, which they claim violates the Data Privacy Law.
The Bureau of Immigration and the Board of Investments, while confirming the authenticity of the documents presented by Gatchalian, have not yet determined if Guo and Hua Ping are the same person. The agencies also noted that Hua Ping’s mother, Wen Yi Lin, had left the Philippines and it remains unclear if she used a Special Retirees Resident Visa.
