Hontiveros flags ties of Mayor Alice Guo to criminals

Senator Risa Hontiveros on Tuesday revealed that Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo has ties with criminals, who were fellow incorporators of her company, Baofu Land Development, Inc.

"Ang daming red flag ni Mayor Alice Guo. Wala na ngang maayos na record sa Pilipinas, may mga koneksyon pa sa mga kriminal. Is this why she is able to afford her lavish lifestyle? Galing ba sa mga kriminal at pugante ang pambili niya ng chopper at mga luxury cars?" Hontiveros asked.

"Given her connections to criminals, I welcome the DILG's move to remove Mayor Guo's power over the local police. Dapat wala nang access si Mayor sa ating kapulisan kung siya pala ay protektor din ng mga kriminal," the senator added.

In Baofu's 2019 Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) documents, incorporators included Mayor Guo, Filipino national Rachel Joan Malonzo Carreon, Cypriot national Zhiyang Huang, Chinese national Zhang Ruijin, and Dominican national Baoying Lin.

The Chinese national, Zhang Ruijin, was convicted last month for being linked to the reported "largest money laundering case in Singapore." The Dominican national, Baoying Lin, also faces charges. According to a report by Channel News Asia, Zhang Ruijin has "$41 million in assets overseas, including shareholdings in a Philippine real estate development company."

"Ayon mismo kay Mayor, tinulungan daw siya ng mga kaibigan niya para makatakbo sa eleksyon nung 2022. Itong mga kriminal at puganteng kaibigan ba ang sinasabi niya?" Hontiveros asked.

"Kahit pa sabihin niyang nag-divest na siya sa Baofu bago tumakbo, the fact remains: she has ties with these criminals. Kaya ba siya tumakbong Mayor para maprotektahan niya ang mga kaibigan niya? I am looking forward to our hearing on Wednesday. Sana naman may maalala na si Mayor," Hontiveros concluded.