Philippine Government Moves to Unseat Bamban Mayor Alice Guo Over Citizenship Issues
The Philippine government has initiated legal proceedings to remove Alice Guo, also known as Guo Ha Ping, from her position as mayor of Bamban, Tarlac. The Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) filed a quo warranto petition on Monday, July 29, at the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC), arguing that Guo is not a Filipino citizen but a Chinese national.
Alice Guo has been implicated in the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) scandal due to her co-ownership of Baofu, a real estate firm that leased property to Hongsheng/Zun Yuan, a POGO found to be involved in human trafficking and worker abuse. Despite divesting from Baofu before her mayoral campaign and subsequent victory in 2022, Guo's ties to the scandal have persisted.
Evidence Against Guo
The OSG’s petition is grounded on evidence that Guo, who holds a Chinese passport under the name Guo Ha Ping, is registered as the daughter of Chinese citizens Lin Wenyi and Guo Jian Zhong. Immigration records indicate that Guo arrived in the Philippines in 1999 as a 9-year-old, contradicting her earlier Senate testimony claiming she was born and raised on a farm in the Philippines.
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) confirmed that fingerprints from Guo Ha Ping’s records match those of Alice Guo, reinforcing the claim that they are the same individual. “Even international law enforcement authorities use fingerprint identification, given that no two individuals, not even identical twins, have the same fingerprints. Neither do fingerprints change, even as an individual gets older, unless the deeper ‘basal’ layer is destroyed or intentionally changed by plastic surgery,” stated the OSG’s petition.
Citizenship Controversy
According to Philippine law, citizenship is determined by the principle of jus sanguinis, where a child's nationality follows that of their parents. The OSG argues that Guo Ha Ping is neither a Filipino citizen by birth nor by naturalization, disqualifying her from holding the mayoral position.
“There is no factual basis to support respondent Guo Hua Ping’s Filipino citizenship. The inevitable conclusion that follows is that she is not a Filipino citizen, a mandatory requirement under Section 39 of [the local government code]. Thus, respondent Guo Hua Ping is illegally holding her position and must be ousted therefrom,” stated the petition.
Legal and Future Implications
The OSG has also sought to cancel Guo’s Filipino birth certificate, which would effectively strip her of Filipino citizenship. Without recognized legal status in the Philippines, Guo may face deportation. However, government officials have indicated that Guo would remain in the country to face trial for the complaints filed against her.
The case against Alice Guo highlights the stringent citizenship requirements for holding public office in the Philippines and underscores the government's efforts to uphold these legal standards amid allegations of misconduct and fraud.
