During a Senate committee hearing on women, children, family relations, and gender equality on Monday, Guo was asked to reveal the identity of the person who helped her travel from the Philippines to Malaysia. She mentioned that she did not incur any expenses for transportation or bribes to local officials.
Guo subsequently requested that the identity of her helper not be disclosed publicly, opting instead to write the name on a piece of paper. As she recounted the details of her escape—boarding a yacht in Manila, then transferring to a larger vessel where she was instructed to stay in a room without her phone for three to five days—Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. inquired if she had been coerced into fleeing.
Gatchalian stated, “The documents we uncovered demonstrate that Guo Hua Ping is not an ordinary figure in this Pogo hub,” referring to Guo by her alleged real Chinese name.
He told Guo, “She was actively involved from the beginning and throughout her time as mayor. The evidence is very compelling. Even if you choose not to speak, it will speak for itself.”
Amidst a team of lawyers, Guo issued sweeping denials and cited her ongoing criminal cases as reasons for not addressing Gatchalian’s questions about the complex "layering of funds" she is accused of orchestrating to finance the Pogo facility.
She frequently asserted that the threats to her life forced her to restrict her responses, even to basic questions from senators regarding her true identity and her purported connections with Pogos.
In addition to the illegal gambling operation in Bamban, authorities reported that the dismissed local official was also involved in running a similar Pogo complex in Porac, Pampanga.
Wearing a bulletproof vest over her yellow prison uniform, Guo looked contemplative as she returned to testify before the Senate committee on women, children, family relations, and gender equality, chaired by Sen. Risa Hontiveros.
At times, she stared blankly at the TV monitor in front of her, a stark contrast to the cheerful demeanor she displayed when Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos retrieved her from Indonesia the day after her arrest on September 4.
“I invoke my right against self-incrimination due to an ongoing human trafficking case related to this matter. I will not respond to that here,” Guo said when Gatchalian inquired about the financial transactions of QC Genetics Inc. and QJJ Farms Inc., both of which listed her as president.
As in her previous testimonies, the dismissed mayor claimed she could not recall whether she was involved in the financial transactions mentioned by Gatchalian.
“I maintain that I am not involved in Pogo operations,” she asserted.
However, Gatchalian presented records showing that Guo’s personal bank accounts received P1.9 billion in cash and check deposits over a six-year period. In contrast, QJJ Farms’ accounts recorded over P3 billion in deposits during the same timeframe. Additionally, Gatchalian revealed that Guo had used QJJ and QC Genetics’ bank accounts to pay several million pesos in electric bills for Baofu.
“Despite your claims of no involvement in Pogos, the documents suggest otherwise,” Gatchalian pointed out.
During the proceedings, Hontiveros questioned Guo about her identity and nationality, highlighting that biometric evidence indicated her fingerprints matched those of Guo Hua Ping.
“Can you confirm once and for all if you are Guo Hua Ping? Please answer this straightforward question,” Hontiveros urged.
Guo, who is also suspected of being a Chinese spy, initially avoided answering, citing potential impacts on a pending case with the Commission on Elections.
“I am Alice Guo… As far as I know, I was born in Tarlac, Tarlac,” she persisted.
However, Hontiveros reminded Guo that fingerprint analysis by the National Bureau of Investigation and other official documents indicated she was not who she claimed to be.
“We have proven you are not Alice Guo, but Guo Hua Ping,” Hontiveros retorted. “You continue to lie despite clear evidence that you are a Chinese national named Guo Hua Ping, with Chinese parents Jian Zhong Guo and Lin Wenyi.”
Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino argued that the Senate should have custody of Guo, who was currently held at the Philippine National Police headquarters in Camp Crame under a commitment order from a regional trial court (RTC) in Capas, Tarlac.
Tolentino, a lawyer, criticized the Office of the Ombudsman for filing graft charges against Guo in Capas, citing a Supreme Court circular on RTC jurisdiction for cases involving local government officials. The Capas court issued an arrest warrant against Guo on the same day she was apprehended in Jakarta.
Guo chose not to post bail, seemingly to avoid being detained at the Senate. However, Hontiveros decided that Guo would remain in PNP custody, adhering to the Capas court’s order.
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