(UPDATED) Police authorities have brought dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo to the House of Representatives Thursday morning to appear before quad committee hearings on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators.

It was the first time that Guo appeared before the special four-way panel, which is investigating fraud, illegal drugs, extrajudicial killings and money laundering operations in the country.

The Valenzuela regional trial court earlier approved Guo’s appearance before the quad committee inquiry.

Guo, who is facing human trafficking, graft and money laundering charges, has denied involvement in the Chinese-run online gambling center where hundreds of people were forced to run scams or risk torture.

She was arrested in Indonesia earlier this month after leaving the Philippines without passing through immigration checks.

During Thursday’s House Quad Committee hearing, Batangas 2nd District Rep. Gerville "Jinky Bitrics" Luistro grilled Guo regarding her business dealings and potential links to criminal syndicates.

Luistro pointed to several suspicious links between Guo and individuals from Fujian, a region in China associated with the gang.

One piece of evidence was a congratulatory poster from Manila-based Chinese businessmen, originally from Fujian, celebrating Guo’s election as the “first Chinese mayor in the Philippines” in 2022.

“This (congratulatory poster) came from businessmen here in Manila who originated from Fujian, China,” Luistro said.

Further concerns arose from Bureau of Immigration records, which identified Guo as a dependent of her mother, Lin Wen Yi, also from Fujian.

Luistro also noted that two of Guo’s business partners and fellow incorporators of Bamban-based Baofu Land Development Inc.—Lin Baoying and Rujin Zhang—who were both convicted of anti-money laundering in Singapore are also from Fujian.

“Based on research, Mr. Chair, the two incorporators by the name Baoying Lin and Rujin Zhang, both convicted of anti-money laundering in Singapore, are all from Fujian, China,” Luistro told the Quad Committee, led by Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers.

When asked, Guo denied any knowledge of the Fujian gang. 

“Your Honor, I’m not aware. First time ko po siya narinig ngayon araw. Thank you po,” was her response.

Luistro’s interpellation revealed Guo’s ties to Lin and Zhang, who were convicted of laundering $3 billion in Singapore, along with another incorporator, Huang Zhiyang, who was implicated in cybercrimes following a raid in 2023.

All four were involved in operating Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs), specifically Hongsheng Gaming Technology and Zun Yuan Technology, which were linked to human trafficking and money laundering.

It was likewise discovered that Guo fraudulently obtained a Philippine birth certificate and passport through the late registration of birth system, allowing her to run for public office and establish businesses.

“This fictitious birth certificate paved the way for Ms. Alice Guo to solicit identification cards from different government offices, including the DFA, the BIR, and the LTO,” Luistro said.

Luistro called for immediate reforms to block foreign nationals from exploiting these weaknesses and recommended that the Securities and Exchange Commission implement a stronger monitoring system to verify the legitimacy of corporations.

Authorities on Thursday brought the dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor to the House of Representatives for the quad committee hearings on POGOs. 

It was the first time that Guo will appear before the special four-way panel, which is investigating fraud, illegal drugs, extrajudicial killings and money laundering operations in the country. 

The Valenzuela regional trial court earlier approved Guo’s appearance before the quad committee inquiry.