June 26, 2024 - More questions swirl around the identity of suspended Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo as the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family, Relations and Gender Equality reopened its investigation on Wednesday, June 26, 2024. Senator Risa Hontiveros, leading the inquiry, presented a bombshell document that has cast further doubt on Guo's background.
The document, an NBI clearance obtained by Hontiveros, belonged to another individual named Alice Leal Guo. Startlingly, this other Alice shared the same birthdate and birthplace as the suspended mayor. Hontiveros revealed that this NBI clearance was requested just days before Mayor Guo, then a teenager, belatedly applied for her own birth certificate.
"Is this a mere coincidence that there are two Alice Leal Guos?" Hontiveros asked, raising eyebrows. "Or are we looking at a case of stolen identity?" she pressed, highlighting the gravity of the situation. "The mayor has a lot to answer for," the senator declared.
Adding another layer to the mystery, Mayor Guo opted not to attend the Senate hearing. Through her representatives, she cited health reasons brought on by the "adverse effects" of the allegations against her. This absence, however, only fueled further speculation and criticism, with many questioning her motives and transparency.
The Committee hearing comes amid controversy surrounding Guo's alleged links to Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs). The national government has recently cracked down on these POGOs due to concerns about their social and economic impact. The Senate investigation aims to determine if Guo turned a blind eye to, or even abetted, illegal POGO operations within her jurisdiction.
With the revelation of the second Alice Leal Guo, the focus has shifted to the suspended mayor's true identity. The Committee has vowed to get to the bottom of this mystery, with Senator Hontiveros emphasizing, "We owe it to the people of Bamban and to the Filipino people to uncover the truth."
The next Senate hearing is expected to delve deeper into the NBI document and potentially summon the other Alice Leal Guo to shed light on this case of mistaken identity, or something more sinister.