Mayor Alice Guo POGO controversy exposes need for electoral reform

THE PROBE into the involvement of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) in criminal cases exposed a host of other issues. A Senate resolution in July 2023 started the investigation and revealed the strange and curious case of Alice Guo. Her election as mayor of Bamban, Tarlac province in 2022 pressed the Senate to examine not just her links to POGO, but also her citizenship and other issues regarding her controversial candidacy. 

The story rapidly gained momentum and prominence in recent weeks. News media picked up information mainly from the May 7 and May 22, 2024 joint hearings held by three Senate committees: on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality, on Migrant Workers, and on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs. 

As more questions unveiled the problematic issues, some legislators expressed concerns about national security, even fears of foreign nationals infiltrating local government. 

News accounts recorded the lack of documentation about her citizenship as senators grilled Guo about her ties with POGO operations in Bamban and her denial of all allegations linking her to POGO. 

Media became totally engrossed, issuing reports on any available updates. After the initial media frenzy, some reporters found other sources who knew Guo. But from May 14 to 22, reports in ABS-CBN News, ANC, GMA Integrated News, News5, and Philippine Daily Inquirer featured Tarlac residents and local officials whose knowledge of Guo’s background were limited to personal anecdotes. 

Is Guo an “asset” of China? 

Allegations of Guo’s links to POGO were scandalous enough to spark outrage, as her failure to provide evidence caused more serious doubts and suspicions – all of which media picked up in detail. Reports called attention to the absence of basic documents of identification and of other ordinary indicators of family and background. Guo, who claimed she was 37 years of age, had no hospital or school records. She could not explain why her birth was registered only when she was 17 years of age. Media highlighted Senator Risa Hontiveros’ who questioned Guo’s citizenship and floated the possibility of the mayor being an “asset” of China to infiltrate and manipulate Philippine politics. 

ABS-CBN News, ANC, Manila Standard, News5, Philippine Daily Inquirer on May 14, 2024 carried the House of Representatives’ plan to conduct a “parallel probe” into the case, indicating the growing concern in Congress. House lawmaker Raul Angelo Bongalon emphasized that it had become a “national security issue.” 

Rise to power scrutinized

The Philippine Daily Inquirer reported on May 9, 2024 that Guo’s predecessor, Jose Antonio Feliciano, endorsed Guo to his constituents in an April 2021 event. According to local news website Tarlakenyo, Guo joined the Nationalist People’s Coalition in August 2023 after winning her mayoral seat in 2022 as an independent candidate. Media however had not interviewed Feliciano to shed more light on Guo’s background. 

Follow-up reports looked into Guo’s candidacy and election documents after these were bared by the Senate. Interviewed on TeleRadyo Serbisyo, Comelec Chairperson George Garcia revealed that Guo only became a registered voter in April 2021, just over a year before she herself became a candidate in the 2022 elections. 

Comelec’s role checked 

All these revelations have spurred public interest as well as public outrage with Interaksyon and Rappler noting the wide circulation of memes on social media highlighting Guo’s vague responses in the Senate. Interaksyon and News5 noted some criticism of Comelec on social media for allowing Guo to run in the first place. 

News reports gave adequate time and space to Comelec’s response, citing Comelec chief George Garcia who explained the ministerial function of Comelec did not require them to verify the claims of candidates on their  Certificate of Candidacy (COC). However, media did not report that Garcia pointed to sections of the electoral law that should be amended so Comelec can check the accuracy of COC content. 

Coverage also tracked expressions of concern about the spread of the gaming industry which involves the entry of foreign nationals into the workforce. News reports noted that key members of Marcos’ cabinet (the former Finance Secretary and the current Economic Development Secretary) had vocally opposed POGO in 2023 and the support in the House and the Senate for a nationwide POGO ban. 

Beyond the news cycle 

Media must follow up on these processes as legal amendments of the Omnibus Election Code will take time. Reports should also examine the negative impact of POGO, which should be traced to the policies of Rodrigo Duterte. As the Duterte family remains a political force, media scrutiny of the Duterte’s presidency is imperative to check his continuing influence on Philippine politics. 

Journalists should turn to Duterte’s successor to ask him what he will do about the problems left by the same political allies who helped him become president?