Push Admin

Article (news)

Carmelle Lacuata

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA - Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo on Monday reiterated that she is a Filipino citizen.</p><p>In an exclusive interview with ABS-CBN News’ Karen Davila, Guo reaffirmed her Filipino citizenship.</p><p>“Ako po ay isang Filipino. Ang nanay ko po, ang biological mother ko po ay isang Filipino,” she said.</p><p>According to Guo, it was not easy for her to talk about her childhood, because her mother left her behind with her father as soon as she was born.</p><p>She also learned later on that her mother was their family’s house helper.</p><p>“Nalaman ko po mismo sa tatay ko na ang nanay ko ay dati naming kasambahay,” Guo said.</p><p>Guo also said she holds a Filipino passport, which she got when she was around 17 or 19 years old.</p><p>“Isa lang po ang passport ko, Filipino po ako. Isa po akong Philippine passport holder, at Filipino po ako,” she explained.</p><div><strong>‘NABLANGKO AKO’</strong></div><p>When asked why she was unable to answer the questions during the Senate probe, she said her mind went blank because it was painful for her to talk about her past, especially about the identity of her mother.</p><p>“Humihingi ako ng paumanhin na hindi ako nakasagot nang maayos, kasi masyadong masakit sa akin,” Guo said.</p><p>When asked about her educational background, Guo said she grew up in her father’s farm and was homeschooled. </p><p>Guo said she did not find it weird at first, but she later found it embarrassing to admit that she was never formally educated.</p><p>“Lumaki po ako sa farm, hindi po ako pumasok ng formal school. Nagtatrabaho po ako habang may tutorial na dumarating po sa farm every day,” she said, adding her tutors went to their farm, and that their farm workers also used to teach her.</p><div><strong>TO BE DEPORTED?</strong></div><p>Guo likewise lamented how other people were saying that she is going to be deported, since she is Filipino.</p><p>“Marami po ako nabalitaan ide-deport daw po ako. Yung sarili kong ina iniwanan ako. Ngayon sarili kong bansa tatalikuran ako. Idedeport po ako, saan ako idedeport? Malaysia, China, Singapore? Isa lang po ang passport ko, ako po ay isang Pilipino,” she said.</p><p>Guo became controversial after being linked to a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO), and for allegedly having questionable citizenship.</p><p>But in a copy of her Certificate of Candidacy (COC) earlier sent by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality, the mayor&#x27;s full name was indicated as &quot;Alice Leal Guo&quot;, &quot;35 years old&quot;, with residence/address in &quot;Bamban, Tarlac&quot;, where she is also a registered voter.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/5/14/tarlac-mayor-alice-guo-s-coc-i-am-a-filipino-citizen-2034" id="isPasted">Tarlac mayor Alice Guo&#x27;s COC: &#x27;I am a Filipino citizen&#x27;</a></div><p>Guo also became a registered voter in April 2021 - a year and one month before the elections.</p><p>The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Sunday said it will dig further into the case of Guo, especially after a Senate hearing raised suspicions on her background. </p><p>Juan Victor Llamas, DILG Undersecretary for external, legal and legislative affairs, said that their recommendation for Guo&#x27;s preventive suspension was based on their investigation of her alleged links to the illegal POGO operations in her town.</p><p>The DILG submitted its recommendation to the Office of the Ombudsman last week.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/5/17/dilg-urges-ombudsman-to-suspend-bamban-mayor-2252">DILG urges Ombudsman to suspend Bamban mayor</a></div><p>President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier said the government’s investigation into the identity and citizenship of Guo will continue until it gets the answers it needs.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/5/16/marcos-gov-t-to-be-more-vigilant-amid-doubts-on-bamban-mayor-s-citizenship-1804">Marcos: Gov’t to be more vigilant amid doubts on Bamban mayor’s citizenship</a></div><p>Guo faced the Senate earlier this month to answer allegations that she was backing a POGO operation in Bamban that was raided last March, where authorities found evidence of human trafficking, serious illegal detention, physical abuse, and even torture.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/5/10/-pogo-politics-suspected-china-ties-of-tarlac-town-mayor-alarms-solon-1016">&#x27;POGO-politics&#x27;: Suspected China ties of Tarlac town mayor alarms solon</a></div><p>But Sen. Risa Hontiveros zeroed in on Guo&#x27;s personal background after receiving reports that the mayor &quot;came out of nowhere&quot; last 2022 elections.</p><p>Guo&#x27;s apparent evasiveness to disclose her background at the Senate raised even more suspicion from the public.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/5/16/-inconsistencies-flagged-in-alice-guo-s-background-2116">&#x27;Inconsistencies&#x27; flagged in Alice Guo&#x27;s background</a></div><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/5/17/-hindi-ko-kilala-teodoro-backs-probe-on-bamban-mayor-alice-guo-1815">&#x27;Hindi ko kilala&#x27;: Teodoro backs probe on Bamban Mayor Alice Guo</a></div><p>Residents of Bamban, a second-class municipality of Tarlac, are also divided about Guo, with some residents claiming to have been seeing her and her family since she was young, while others say she just appeared shortly before the election.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aYjVM7s5kUI?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

<p>Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo on Monday reiterated that she is a Filipino citizen.</p>

Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo on Monday reiterated that she is a Filipino citizen.

[EXCLUSIVE] Alice Guo: 'Ako po ay isang Filipino'

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

Traffic

Manila

Horoscope

News

[EXCLUSIVE] Alice Guo: 'Ako po ay isang Filipino'

Carmelle Lacuata,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 20, 2024 07:43 PM PHT

|

Updated May 20, 2024 08:51 PM PHT

Read More:

Alice Guo

Bamban

Tarlac

citizenship

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.