Batangas 2nd District Rep. Gerville Luistro manifested before the sixth joint public hearing of the House Quad-Committee on Thursday, September 19, that Alice Guo, Hong Sheng, Baofu, and Zun Yuan are ‘one and the same.’
During Luistro’s interpellation, Guo was questioned on her ties with the mentioned corporations. The latter insisted on issuing business permits to Hong Sheng and Zun Yuan Technology upon seeing the attached PAGCOR licenses.
Properties and the Corporation
Before being elected for the Mayoral position in Bamban, Tarlac, Guo divested her entire property to the corporation. Luistro highlighted that this transpired seven days before she filed for candidacy.
Moreover, Guo’s family owns 11 out of the 12 listed companies, with the majority of those listed Guo as one of the owners. Her relatives’ names were also included in the list.
“You will refuse to join any business dealings or ventures kung hindi mo kilala ang mga taong kasama mo, tama ba? As a matter of fact very significant itong list of companies na ito. Ayaw mo ng hindi mo kilala because most of the incorporators are family members,” Luistro asked.
Guo agreed with the Congresswoman’s statements when she stated that the dismissed mayor only negotiates with people she knows and trusts.
Guo and Her Ties
Luistro also pointed out the speculations between Guo and the listed major corporations being ‘one and the same,’ to which Guo did not agree.
According to documents, Guo signed the application in the Sangguniang Bayan of Bamaban in behalf of Hong Sheng, when it applied for a franchise, license, and permit. However, Guo denied the statement, saying that she was unaware of who wrote her name in the files.
“Your Honor, I did not sign any documents. However, nakalagay yung pangalan ko dyan as a representative, but I did not sign any documents,” Guo said.
In the first half of 2024, Senator Risa Hontiveros revealed that two of Guo’s fellow incorporators were entangled in the S$2.8 billion money laundering case; the biggest money-laundering case in Singapore.
The convicted persons were Baoying Lin and Zhang Ruijin, the dismissed mayor’s fellow incorporators for Baofu Corporation.
Additionally, Luistro named the third incorporator, Huang Zhiyang. He used to be with Hong Sheng Corporation but was charged with cybercrimes in 2023 after the raid.
“This representation humbly submit that Ms. Alice Guo purposely ran for public office in spite of her knowledge that she is not qualified, she being a Chinese national, to be able to welcome business establishments which she believes will bring growth and prosperity to the people of Bamban,” the Congresswoman said.
“These business establishments include Hong Sheng, a POGO operator; and Zun Yuan, also a POGO operator…Dito sa location ng dalawang company na ito, which lease the property of Baofu with whom Ms. Alice transferred land in exchange for shareholdings sometime in 2021, while maintaining control after the same date,” she added.
The consecutive raids in Porac, Pampanga, and Bamban, Tarlac prompted the inquiry on POGOs after authorities found torture chambers and trafficked Chinese nationals within its vicinity.
