In the end of the hide and seek, the delinquent walks in like a celebrity in the peak.

Guo Hua Ping alias Alice Guo was an elected public official who was allegedly handling Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) activities in her town and was associated in human trafficking cases remains a ‘star’ in a country where the justice system failed its citizens.

The Bureau of Immigration received information that the notorious dismissed mayor from Tarlac was arrested in Jakarta, Indonesia on September 4, 2024, around the time of 1:30 AM. Alice Guo managed to deceive the entire country by escaping last July, in a way that has not been confirmed, even by senators. It remains a mystery how she and her close associates were able to escape the country.

There is a problem that is occurring in the country, where famous or rich delinquents are treated as if they are saviors who wish to do good for our people. Why do we tolerate this kind of thinking? This is not the first time something like this happened. We can recall the times where some higher-ups use sickness and age as an excuse to run away with their cases but years after here they are continuing to run again for a place they were once ousted for. In the meantime, the Filipinos that are poor with no privilege whatsoever, are either thrown in prison wrongfully or killed by a law enforcer. A division between the treatment of the rich and the treatment of the poor is an obvious problem in the Philippines.

Alice Guo is an individual who claims that she is a Filipino citizen and denies involvement in any illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) activities. Still, the government authorities are treating her as if she’s free of crimes. For an exceptionally long duration, the dismissed Bamban mayor remained untouched while the Senate was calling her regarding her issues. Only when she left the country that she get caught by the authorities of another country, Indonesia. This fact alone proves how enforcement needs to be strengthened further. They lack the ability to locate delinquents, due to the reason that they do not have their priorities set straight.

According to the 2023 Corrupt Perceptions Index, the Philippines is one of the most corrupt countries in the world. So, how can we find public officials involved in corrupt activities, when the said individual is already associated with syndicates and could be cooperating with corrupt politicians? In situations like this, it is anticipated that our system will always fail, as we value the rich much more than the masses. However, it must not stay like that forever. Greedy politicians are toying with the Constitution of the Philippines. Alice Guo is proven to be from a foreign country, yet she was elected mayor. She was not allowed to leave the country, yet she hopped in an unknown mode of transportation and successfully got out. Something seems to need a change—a change where justice reigns rather than continuing the corrupt and incompetent chain.

In the past few months, the alleged involvements of Alice Guo on the illegal POGO activities have been thoroughly investigated, and the idea of her being a state witness came into question. According to an article from the Daily Tribune, the dismissed mayor accused of relations with Chinese criminal syndicates could provide insight into how corruption works in these levels of activity.  Of course, most POGO operations are involved with swindles, that is one of the biggest reasons why Senators like Risa Hontiveros are tackling these issues. While Guo can provide some information to help the Philippine Government track down these lawbreakers to show that justice can prevail, her trustworthiness comes into question. She has long denied her involvement with POGO, she continues to act clueless when answering simple questions. 

       We must also take note of her continued incompliance. Guo pledges an oath every senate session, promising that she will abide by the laws of the Constitution and that everything she will say is factual and not mere half-truths or lies. She continues to explain she's at fear if she tells everything she knows. Her straightforward answers and denial made it hard for politicians in the senate hearing to really narrow the issue down. With that said, the netizens’ consensus that she hiding something or someone, is an idea that is not too far-fetched. Accountability is a quality that Alice Guo lacks, she does not take responsibility for her actions, going as far as to hide her shady activities as a mayor.

According to the Republic Act No. 7160 or the Local Government Code of 1991, a foreigner cannot run for the position of mayor. As said by the 1987 Constitution, the people whose parents are Filipinos, the people who are natural-born citizens, or those who were naturalized are considered to be citizens of the Philippines. Her sudden appearance marked a controversy among the citizens of Bamban, Tarlac. It wasn't until documents were presented by Senator Hontiveros proving that she was not born in the Philippines, a fact that only shows her guilt when it comes to her true identity. The documents state that Alice Guo's real birthplace is in Fujian, China, not in a farm in Tarlac that she has been repeatedly telling.

        For many people, leadership is about setting an example to your people, but it is about having that kind of integrity to lead progressively. It should not be forgotten that consistency is one of the key factors that makes a leader worthy, and just the basic principle of honesty can make a difference. Alice Guo, a Chinese-born public official lacks the qualities of a leader. 

Numerous questions still leave people wondering: Who is Alice Guo? How can a foreign national be able to bypass the Constitution? The Philippine political system failed to live by the constitution's standard, there is no denying that. This is seen through how Philippine authorities were pictured carefree with Guo, acting like she is some celebrity. On the other side of the country, activists are being red-tagged as communists, the falsely accused are being imprisoned, innocent people are being gunned down by law enforcers,  and the people who truly fight for a change in the system are being overlooked and ignored. This is a reminder that the Justice System and Political System have radically shaped the country into impunity, to the point where Filipinos will continue to be buried under corruption and unethical governance.

We, the Filipino people, are allowing evil minds to abuse the integrity of our democracy. As the popular sentiment suggests, there are bigger problems in the country. Solving this won't fix everything that is wrong in the system. Yet, we should not let those with selfish motives take advantage of us. We, the citizens of this country who are born as the rightful holders of the title of “Filipino citizen,” have the voice to stand against the abuses of illegal foreign operations in our country.

In the midst of all the incompetencies of our government, there are those who are shining beacons of hope. By giving them our full support, trust, and vote, there is a chance that one day, we will all be proud of what we have achieved as the true citizens of this country, whether it is by political reform, by achieving good governance, or the complete overhaul of the justice system, that promotes the equality of all Filipinos.