The Philippines has long struggled with the proliferation of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs), enterprises offering online gambling services overseas.

However, the layers of lies, human trafficking, and financial crime concealed within this industry proved far more shocking in the case of Alice Leal Guo, the first ever lady mayor of Bamban, Tarlac.

Her dramatic rise and catastrophic fall—from respected local official to alleged foreign agent—forced a nation to confront the grave extent of infiltration and corruption within its borders.

The Baofu Compound: A Center of Abuse

The investigation into POGOs began in 2019, driven by reports of abuses and social problems. By 2022, authorities confirmed that POGO operations were widely used as fronts for sophisticated scam compounds across the region.

These compounds were massive, self-contained, and modern, containing dormitories, workplaces, and entertainment facilities.

However, they masked brutal criminal enterprises, including “love scams” targeting victims in Singapore and other affluent nations, and human trafficking, where recruits—Filipinos and foreign nationals alike—were often tricked, held against their will, and subjected to violence and severe abuses.

The largest such operation outside of Metro Manila was the Baofu compound in Bamban, Tarlac, covering several hectares of farmland.

Reports from the Armed Forces’ intelligence component detailed instances of tortures and severe violence being conducted inside.

The operation was so massive that investigators even discovered underground tunnels connecting multimillion-peso villas on the property, suggesting a complex infrastructure built for security and concealment.

The Cat-and-Mouse Game

The tipping point came when a Vietnamese national was able to escape the Bamban compound by jumping onto an adjacent farm after noticing a security guard aiming a firearm at him.

This escape provided the necessary evidence for a search warrant. However, the operation was nearly compromised by massive delays from the Philippine National Police (PNP) operating unit, leading officials to suspect that “someone tipped them off.”

Upon arrival, forces were met with a chaotic scene: “People were escaping,” and the “big boss” (the mastermind) was able to view CCTV footage of the police gathering before escaping and vanishing.

The initial arrests were made, but the masterminds fled. The investigation then took a surprising, critical turn, opening what officials called a “Pandora’s box.”

Personnel from the local electric provider arrived and handed a guard an electric bill for the compound. The bill was in the name of Mayor Alice Guo.

“It opened a Pandora’s box,” said an investigator, realizing the profound connection between the local government and the massive criminal enterprise.

The Fabricated Identity

The Senate investigation, launched in May 2024, invited Mayor Alice Guo as a resource person. The hearings quickly revealed astonishing inconsistencies in her background.

Guo was unable to provide basic details about her childhood, education, or even the identity of her mother. “It’s not possible to forget these basic questions of your childhood,” remarked one Senator.

Evidence piled up, showing her close ties to the scam compound: she helped incorporate the Baofu company, and its co-founders, Zhang Ruijin and Lin Baoying, were quickly linked to the largest money laundering case in Singapore.

More than $200 million flowed through bank accounts associated with Alice Guo, much of it directed to China. Investigators noted that her financial transactions were highly unusual.

Then came the absolute confirmation that shattered her façade: the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) verified that Alice Guo’s fingerprints matched those of a Chinese national named Guo Huaping.

Government records showed that Guo Huaping was a Chinese girl who had entered the Philippines on January 12, 2003, at the age of 13.

The first-ever lady mayor of Bamban was, in fact, a Chinese national whose entire personal history and declared identity were completely fabricated.

Following the NBI confirmation, Senator Risa Hontiveros attempted to invite Guo to a third hearing, but the Mayor failed to attend and soon became unavailable in Bamban.

The Agent of Influence

Dismissed Mayor Alice Guo (Guo Huaping) fled the Philippines in July 2024, sparking “outrage and disbelief.” President Marcos ordered a manhunt, which culminated weeks later with her arrest and extradition back to the Philippines from Indonesia.

She was charged with human trafficking and money laundering, though she denied all allegations.

The controversy was deepened by a documentary featuring the testimony of She Zhijiang, a convicted Chinese gambling kingpin. She Zhijiang claimed that he, like Alice Guo, was “planted” by the Chinese government to be an intelligence agent.

She Zhijiang made the claim that Guo Huaping was specifically placed in the Philippines by the Chinese government to gather intelligence.

Though conclusive evidence of Alice Guo being a Chinese spy has not yet been established, she has been deemed an “agent of influence” by a Filipino intelligence agency.

Philippine military chiefs have publicly accused China of using POGOs as a way to infiltrate Philippine society, suggesting Alice Guo is emblematic of a larger, systemic problem involving corruption and compromised officials at various levels of government.

The scandal, deemed the “Pandora’s box that needed to happen,” led President Marcos to order a complete ban on POGOs in the Philippines, acknowledging the “grave abuse and disrespect” to the country’s system of laws.

Alice Guo’s case remains open, with the investigation expected to expose “bigger fish” in high office. The military chief’s warning is clear: until the involvement of immigration, law enforcement, and the highest officers of government is revealed, the Philippines remains vulnerable.