How Alice Guo saga exposed gaps in Philippine institutional safeguards: ‘prone to abuse’

Alice Guo, the controversial former mayor linked to a raided scam hub and accused of faking her Philippine citizenship, is facing 70 new criminal complaints along with her relatives, including document fraud and violations of laws barring foreigners from owning property or running businesses.

Analysts say the case highlights how foreign syndicates have exploited gaps in the country’s legal and political systems to gain a foothold in sensitive sectors – from local government to online gambling – often with help from insiders.

They warn Guo’s rise was no anomaly, but a symptom of institutional vulnerabilities that continue to enable illicit activities.

Guo, who previously served as mayor of Bamban in Tarlac province, was thrust into the spotlight in 2024 when authorities linked her to a Philippine offshore gaming operator (Pogo) accused of carrying out fraud, trafficking and detention.

The company, originally named Hongsheng Gaming Technology and later rebranded as Zun Yuan, operated from a compound Guo owned. The firm had secured a no-objection endorsement from the Bamban municipal council in 2021 – one of the prerequisites for establishing a Pogo site.

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Philippine officials in hot water over selfies with fugitive mayor Alice Guo

Guo fled the country in July last year after being the subject of a series of Senate hearings on Pogos and was later arrested by Indonesian authorities in Tangerang City. She is currently detained at the Pasig City Jail.

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