(PANAY NEWS) MANILA – Bamban, Tarlac’s Mayor Alice Guo on Wednesday claimed she was unaware of the criminal records of her foreign business partners, as previously revealed by Sen. Risa Hontiveros.
According to Guo, she only learned of the criminal records of her previous co-incorporators in Baofu Compound through a social media post of Hontiveros on Tuesday.
“Your honor, nalaman ko po kahapon (Tuesday) doon sa Facebook post niyo po. After ko malaman, sinearch ko sila,” Guo told Hontiveros during a Senate hearing.
In a statement on Tuesday, Hontiveros, citing Baofu Land Development Inc.’s 2019 Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) documents, noted that Baofu’s incorporators included Guo, Rachel Joan Malonzo Carreon, a Filipino; Zhiyang Huang, a Cypriot; Zhang Ruijin, a Chinese; and Baoying Lin, a Dominican.
Said Guo: “Kahapon nakita ko sa Facebook post niyo po, na sila ay money launderer sa Singapore at nag-research ako through Google din at nakita ko ay ‘yung dalawa ay sangkot sa money laundering sa Singapore at kahapon ko lang nalaman gawa ng nakita ko sa Facebook post niyo, Madam Chairman.”
Hontiveros mentioned news reports on Zhang’s conviction last month for being linked to the “largest money laundering case in Singapore,” while Lin also has criminal charges.
Zun Yuan Technology Incorporated, a Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) which was raided in March, operated inside the Baofu compound behind the Bamban Municipal Hall.
Guo also belied the statement of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, who said that the controversial mayor has a relationship with a mayor in Pangasinan, who is allegedly running her POGO business.
“Wala po akong boyfriend. Wala po akong (live-in) partner,” Guo said. “Wala din po akong POGO business, your honor.”
The identity of Guo was put in question as she claimed in a Senate hearing that she has forgotten or has no knowledge of her personal details like her place of birth and name of school attended.
Guo only has a certificate of live birth, wherein it was declared that her father is a Filipino, but her father’s business records showed that he declared he is a Chinese national.
Additionally, Guo only registered as a voter in 2021 and won the mayoral election in Bamban in 2022 despite having no background in politics./PN