Manila: The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Monday welcomed the decision of the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) declaring dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo as a Chinese national, saying it strengthens the deportation case filed against her.

According to Philippines News Agency, Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado stated that the court's ruling, which voided Guo's mayorship and officially declared her ineligible for public office, affirms the findings based on immigration records and biometrics that identify her as Chinese national Guo Hua Ping.

Viado emphasized that this decision is a significant victory for the national government, as it exposes how a foreign national was able to penetrate public office using false documents and a fabricated identity. The Bureau of Immigration had long initiated deportation proceedings against Guo, and this court decision further cements the legal basis for these actions, supporting the government's ongoing efforts to protect its borders and institutions.

In its ruling, the Manila court granted the quo warranto petition filed by the Office of the Solicitor General. The court determined that Guo was never qualified to run for mayor of Bamban, Tarlac, citing the absence of civil registry records for Guo's supposed Filipino parents and fingerprint analysis by the National Bureau of Investigation, which confirmed her identity as Guo Hua Ping, a Chinese citizen who arrived in the Philippines in 1999 under a Special Investors Resident Visa.

Commissioner Viado highlighted the case as an example of the dangers posed by foreign infiltration and how such actions can threaten national security from within. He reaffirmed the BI's commitment to supporting ongoing investigations and ensuring that Guo is held accountable under the full force of the law.

Viado also stated that it is the duty of the Bureau of Immigration to detect, deter, and remove foreign nationals who misrepresent themselves to gain access to positions of power. Guo has been in detention for nearly 10 months over various charges, including qualified human trafficking, money laundering, and graft, all tied to her alleged links with a transnational criminal network operating scam hubs in Bamban.