Gatchalian Urges DNA Test for Alice Guo and Suspected Mother Wen Yi Lin

janimonow

June 2

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian has challenged Bamban Mayor Alice Guo to undergo a DNA test with Wen Yi Lin, who is suspected of being her biological mother, to clarify her nationality.

In an interview with Super Radyo dzBB, Gatchalian asserted that Wen Yi, also known as Winnie, is likely the biological mother of Guo. Mayor Guo previously claimed her mother was a Filipino named Amelia Leal, but the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported no birth record for Leal.

"My challenge to Mayor Alice and Wen Yi is to take a DNA test to prove if the latter is the biological mother or not," Gatchalian said.

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Senator Risa Hontiveros had earlier released documents indicating that Wen Yi, along with Guo's father, Jian Zhong Guo, and siblings, are co-incorporators in Guo's businesses. Hontiveros also suggested Wen Yi may have given birth to Guo at age 15.

However, Gatchalian noted that conducting a DNA test would be challenging as Wen Yi and Jian Zhong Guo have left the Philippines, according to Bureau of Immigration records. "These two are Chinese citizens, so they can return to China and may not come back here. If that happens, we will have no chance to prove that these two are Guo's parents," he explained.

Reforms Needed

Gatchalian emphasized the importance of confirming Guo's nationality to ensure the integrity of her birth certificate, a document used for various legal purposes, including obtaining a passport, employment, and land purchases. He expressed concerns that Guo's birth certificate might be defective and irregular.

The senator called for reforms to the birth certificate system to prevent abuses, particularly by foreigners. He highlighted the suspicious pattern of late registration of birth certificates for Guo and her siblings, suggesting it could be intentional.

Hontiveros had revealed that Guo's supposed parents, declared as Filipinos, do not have birth records in the PSA. PSA legal service director Eliezer Ambatali indicated a high possibility that Angelito Guo and Amelia Leal, listed on Guo's birth certificate, do not exist.

Guo has claimed she is a love child, born to her father and a house helper who left after her birth. Besides questions about her identity, Guo is under scrutiny related to a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hub in Bamban, Tarlac, raided in March for illegal activities, including human trafficking and illegal detention. Guo has denied involvement in the POGO operations.

POGO Ban

Gatchalian reiterated his proposal for a total ban on POGOs in the Philippines due to the illegal activities associated with them. "My main proposal is that POGO should be totally banned here. Don't let them enter our country. We could see that POGO does not bring any good," he stated.

The Senate committee on ways and means recommended the immediate expulsion of POGOs in September 2023, supported by Gatchalian and Hontiveros. Last month, Hontiveros urged the Executive Department and Senate leadership to act swiftly on this recommendation, noting ongoing crimes related to POGOs for about four years.