Facebook posts of old birthday greetings for suspended Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo resurfaced online as her real identity have been place under public scrutiny.
Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian on Tuesday said that Guo might be Guo Hua Ping or Guo Huaping, a Fujian-born individual who entered the Philippines in 2003.
The senator presented a document stamped with the word “passport” issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in Fujian on April 3, 1999.
The document has a control number of 14-5679410 for Guo Huaping, a student born on Aug. 31, 1990. The document had a stamp of 2003.04.04 as the “date of registry.”
“Alice Guo might be Guo Hua Ping who entered the Philippines on Jan. 12, 2003, when she was 13 years old. Her real birth date is on Aug. 31, 1990,” Gatchalian said on June 18.
On Guo’s supposed birth certificate, it was stated that her birth date was July 12, 1986.
The lawmaker said the documents came from the Board of Investments from the Guo family’s application for Special Investors Resident Visa (SIRV) and the Bureau of Immigration.
In the document labeled SIRV, Chinese was listed as Guo Huaping’s nationality.
Gatchalian also pointed out that, similar to his office’s previous findings, Guo Huaping’s registered mother is named “Lin Wenyi.”
The lawmaker said the documents could strengthen the filing of a quo warranto case against the suspended mayor.
Some online Filipinos also sleuthed and found old Facebook posts greeting Guo on August 31, instead of July 12, as she previously claimed her birth date was.
“She celebrates her birthday on 12 July, since that appears on her Philippine birth certificate. How come someone in Concepcion, Tarlac who seems to be a close friend and fondly calls her ‘Pretty Pig’ sends her birthday greetings on 31 August? Guo Ha Ping?” an online user wondered.
The online user also shared screengrabs of some Facebook posts and a graphic announcing Guo’s birthday celebration as a mayor on July 12.
She celebrates her birthday on 12 July, since that appears on her Philippine birth certificate. How come someone in Concepcion, Tarlac who seems to be a close friend and fondly calls her “Pretty Pig” sends her birthday greetings on 31 August? Guo Ha Ping? https://t.co/E8Xj4oI7jD pic.twitter.com/DjTS3ay3iU
— Karen S. Shih (@karensshih) June 18, 2024
Former Barbaza, Antique mayor Faith “Pingping” Francisco also pointed out the birth date inconsistencies.
The mystery birthday! pic.twitter.com/As1BWAtAAN
— Pingping Will Tweet 🇵🇭🇮🇱🇺🇦 (@PingpingTweets) June 19, 2024
The screengrabs feature posts of a Facebook user claiming to be from Tarlac who has been greeting Guo since 2017.
“May the Lord give you the Wall of Protection always. Happy Birthday, Pig,” the user wrote on Aug. 31, 2018.
Another post from the same user featured a 2017 birthday greeting with more pictures of Guo.
“May you have many more Birthday [sic] to come, Pretty Pig. Happy Birthday,” the caption said.
Meanwhile, lawyer Stephen David, legal counsel of Guo, denied that the suspended mayor is connected to Guo Huaping or Guo Hua Ping.
“Kung meron silang matibay na ebidensya na they are one and the same, edi iprisinta nila sa proper forum para masagot namin. Kasi mahirap sumagot sa mga publicity na ganoon e,” he was quoted as saying on June 19.
Last month, some online users resurfaced old Chinese reports from WeChat congratulating Guo on her election victory as Bamban mayor in 2022.
Translated versions of the report referred to her as “Guo Huaping.”
“With great pride, the Guo clan of China shares the joyous news that has spread across the land of China,” a translation of a May 18, 2022 report said.
“Ms. Alice Leal GUO, also known as Guo Huaping, the daughter of Mr. Guo Jianjiang of Chaodai Village, Jinjing Town, Jinjiang City, Fujian Province, was elected Mayor of Bamban (or Banban), Tarlac Province, Philippines, on May 9, 2022, becoming the city’s first female mayor,” it added.
READ: Chinese language newspaper celebrating Alice Guo’s mayoral victory earns buzz
Guo faced the Senate last week to answer allegations that she was backing a Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) hub in Bamban that was raided last March.
Authorities had found evidence of human trafficking, serious illegal detention, physical abuse and torture during the raid.
Guo is seeking a fair and thorough probe into controversies thrown against her and has expressed willingness to cooperate with the government to “uncover the truth.”
In a six-page letter addressed to Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, chairman of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), Guo maintained her innocence over various allegations including espionage, human trafficking, kidnapping and money laundering and branded them as “baseless.”