'Accused of Espionage in China' Mayor of Small Local City Confirmed as Chinese National... "Fingerprint Match"

Tarlac Province Bamban City Mayor Alice Guo
"Pretending to be Filipino is an insult to Filipinos"

A mayor of a small city in the Philippines accused of being a 'Chinese spy' has been confirmed to be Chinese, sparking controversy. On the 28th, Yonhap News Agency cited local media Inquirer, reporting that the Philippine National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) confirmed that the fingerprints of Alice Guo (35, female), mayor of Bamban City in Tarlac Province on the northern island of Luzon, Philippines, matched those of Chinese woman Guo Huaping.

Representative Hontiveros explained that she requested the NBI to compare the biometric data, including fingerprints, of Guo Huaping, who entered the Philippines in January 2003 at age 13 holding a Chinese passport and a Special Investor Resident Visa, with those of Mayor Guo, and received such results.

Alice Guo, Mayor of Bamban City, Philippines, suspected of being a 'Chinese spy' [Photo by Philippine media Inquirer website capture]

Earlier, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian also based his claims on copies of the Special Investor Resident Visa issued under the name Guo Huaping and a Chinese passport obtained from the Philippine Investment Commission and the Bureau of Immigration. He raised suspicions that Mayor Guo was the Chinese national Guo Huaping. Subsequently, Senator Gatchalian claimed that Alice Guo’s mother was likely Chinese.

The visa contained a photo that appeared to be the same person as Mayor Guo. The passport stated that Guo Huaping was from Fujian Province, China, born in August 1990.

Representative Hontiveros asserted that Guo Huaping seemed to have stolen the identity of a Filipino named 'Alice Guo.' She added, "His impersonation of a Filipino greatly insulted the voters of Bamban City, government agencies, and all Filipinos," and pointed out, "Guo Huaping, being Chinese, fraudulently obtained Filipino citizenship and ran for mayor, gaining the trust and friendship of very powerful and influential Filipinos." She further explained that the fingerprint match with Guo Huaping was the strongest evidence to revoke Mayor Guo’s public office.

Regarding this, Steven David, the lawyer representing Guo Huaping, stated, “It is too early to comment on this issue,” explaining, “Because we have not yet examined the documents and witnesses.”

A mayor of a small city in the Philippines, accused of being a 'Chinese spy,' has been confirmed to be Chinese, escalating the controversy.
[Photo by ABS-CBN News screen capture]

Mayor Guo, who governs the rural small city of Bamban, gained nationwide attention in March when authorities cracked down on the Chinese-operated online gambling site ‘Zunyuan Technology’ located right behind the mayor’s office. At that time, the site was revealed to be a den of crime where scams such as ‘romance scams’ were conducted, involving approaching victims to extort money. Authorities rescued about 700 people who were confined and exploited for crimes, including 202 Chinese nationals and 73 other foreigners.

Investigations confirmed that Mayor Guo owned half of the approximately 79,000 square meters of land where the problematic establishment was located, as well as one helicopter. Subsequently, doubts arose as Mayor Guo’s background and career were not properly verified, leading to suspicions such as ‘Is he a disguised Chinese national?’ and ‘Is he conducting espionage activities for China?’

According to the Philippine Commission on Elections, Mayor Guo first registered as a voter in Bamban City in 2021. The following year, he ran for mayor and was elected. When the Senate summoned Mayor Guo for a hearing to inquire about his background, he claimed that his birth was only registered with local authorities when he turned 17 and that he was homeschooled at his family’s pig farm.

However, he failed to provide specific answers to further questions about his background and education. Subsequently, even the president mentioned the suspicions. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos said about Mayor Guo, “No one knows him. We are curious about where he is from, and that is why we are investigating this matter with the Bureau of Immigration.”