Senator JV Ejercito said Sunday that the Senate should further investigate the possibility that dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo is a spy from China.

Citing escalating tensions in the West Philippine Sea, Ejercito said the possibility that the former local chief executive was a Chinese spy could not be ignored.

“We need to investigate that. I am looking into that angle, especially with the current situation in the West Philippine Sea. We can’t ignore the possibility, because China’s expansionism continues unabated,” Ejercito said in a radio interview.

Guo, who is at the center of the Senate investigation into raided POGO firms in Bamban allegedly connected to her, is believed to be a Chinese woman masquerading as a Filipino.

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)previously confirmed that Guo’s fingerprints matched those of Guo Hua Ping, a Chinese national.

Guo has denied being a Chinese national and insisted on her Filipino citizenship.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian previously revealed that Guo Hua Ping had registered with the Board of Investments as a dependent of Special Investor Resident Visa holder Lin Wenyi, who is believed to be Guo’s biological mother.

Ejercito stressed that the Chinese spy angle must be taken seriously, warning that there could be more individuals like Guo silently infiltrating the Philippine government.

“That is one of the things we want to know. That’s why I’m interested in finding out how she entered local politics. She might just be a plant. I know of many other Chinese nationals in various places who are already in key positions,” he said.

“We need to prevent another situation where a Chinese national can become an official — a mayor or even a governor. We might already be infiltrated. So, we need to look into that, aside from the crimes committed under illegal officials,” he added.

Birth Certificates

Ejercito also said the government must go after Bureau of Immigration officials involved in issuing more than 1,000 birth certificates to foreign nationals.

“This needs to be investigated, especially the Bureau of Immigration. These late registrations seem to have become a racket, and they don’t realize this is a national security concern,” he said.

“It’s possible that the 1,000 birth certificates issued to supposed Filipinos were given to members of the People’s Liberation Army, and we are being infiltrated little by little,” Ejercito added.

He was referring to the discovery of 1,200 birth certificates issued to mostly Chinese nationals in Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur, in July. According to the NBI, the fake documents, obtained through late birth registrations, were allegedly issued from 2018 to 2019.

General Aviation Terminals

Citing Guo’s case, Ejercito said the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines and the Bureau of Immigration (BI) should establish general aviation terminals at airports to prevent unmonitored departures of wanted individuals.

“There should be a terminal for general aviation where everyone has to pass through. There should be CCTV to track who is boarding private planes. There should be no exemptions here,” he said.

During a Senate hearing last week, Guo confirmed earlier statements made by her sister Sheila that they left the country by boat. Guo admitted that she, along with her siblings Sheila and Wesley, left the country in July after receiving death threats in June, using a yacht.

Previously, former BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco said that Guo’s Philippine passport did not have any Philippine immigration stamps, indicating they did not pass through immigration authorities.