“A FAKE FILIPINO”
Guo’s nationality has been a key focus of the Senate probe, which comes as relations between Manila and Beijing worsen over disputes in the South China Sea.
The National Bureau of Investigation told the inquiry that Guo’s fingerprints matched those of a Chinese national who had been given a special investor resident visa along with her Chinese mother.
“This confirms what I have suspected all along. Mayor Alice is a fake Filipino,” Hontiveros said in a statement.
“She is a Chinese national masquerading as Filipino citizen to facilitate crimes being committed by POGO (online gambling operation).”
Authorities have frozen assets belonging to Guo and others linked to the scam centre, including 90 bank accounts, properties, luxury vehicles and a helicopter.
Casio fears Guo may try to evade arrest by changing her appearance at one of the clandestine hospitals set up by scam centres to treat their workers.
A recent raid on an illegal medical facility found equipment used for cosmetic surgery.
“You could basically get in there as one person and get out a totally whole new person,” Casio said.
“That’s how sophisticated the operation was.”
