Risa denies sinophobia in probe of Bamban mayor

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Risa Hontiveros has rebuffed claims that her Senate panel’s investigation on Bamban Mayor Alice Guo is “sinophobic,” saying her own maternal great-grandmother was Chinese.

The senator was reacting to criticisms from the Chinese-Filipino community – led by civic leader Teresita Ang See – that the Senate probe has become a political “zarzuela” bordering on racism against the Chinese.

“I always call out against any form of racism, whether anti-Chinese or other nationalities. No person, Filipino or foreigner, deserves their rights or dignity to be abused because of their heritage,” Hontiveros said over dwPM on Thursday.

She maintained that a deeper look into Guo’s Chinese ancestry was necessary because of allegations that she was an accomplice of fugitives in setting up POGO hub Zun Yuan Technology in Bamban town that was allegedly used in human trafficking, hacking, and scams. The POGO hub was raided recently.

The senator earlier bared that Mayor Guo lied about having a Filipino househelp mother, because her family business records show that her business partners include her father, two siblings, and a certain Lin Wen Yi, allegedly her real Chinese mother.

This makes Mayor Guo a pure Chinese, but with false registration records and candidacy documents where she declared herself Filipino.

Hontiveros also presented a Bureau of Internal Revenue document showing the birthdays of the Guo family business incorporators. The document reveals that Guo’s father Jian Zhong Guo has a 13-year age gap from the alleged mother Lin Wen Yi. Based on such information, it would seem that Lin Wen Yi gave birth to Mayor Guo when she was just 15 years old, and to the eldest Shiela at just 13.

In a separate press briefing on Thursday, Sen. Loren Legarda also raised alarm over Guo’s late birth certificate registration, at 19 years old. Her murky childhood raised suspicions that she was a planted Chinese asset who was able to infiltrate the government.

“I don’t want to pass judgement. You’ve seen it in movies. This is not new. It’s sinister enough to plant foreign nationals to pretend to be Filipinos, and to govern a small town, and have illegal activities violating Philippine laws,” Legarda said.

She flagged the existence of a syndicate that allowed foreign nationals to become fake Filipinos by applying as late birth registrants with the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

At the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum on Wednesday, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalain also brushed aside comments that the Senate’s investigation had turned into a “zarzuela.”

“It is unfair to call it a zarzuela. We actually did a ton of research to expand the investigation into possible money laundering,” he said.

PSA late birth registration questioned

The members of the House committee on dangerous drugs are questioning the policies of the PSA for late registration, saying this could enable foreign nationals to become Filipinos illegally.

During a House probe, panel members found out that Chinese businessman Willie Ong was able to secure a certification of birth from the PSA. Ong owns the warehouse of Empire 999 Realty Corp. where some P3.6 billion worth of illegal drugs were seized by police in Pampanga last year.

According to Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, Ong’s case could only be the tip of the iceberg and many other foreigners could have secured Filipino identities through PSA’s policy for late registration.

“I believe that a big syndicate is involved here. We will be recommending a investigation when we come up with our committee report. This could be something big and deep,” the lawmaker said, adding that he plans to file a House resolution seeking a probe.

The lawmaker said the panel would also propose “remedial measures” to improve the registration system of PSA and local civil registrars. — Sheila Crisostomo