Spy games

Now the plot thickens into a tale of intrigue and suspense.

The continuing saga of dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo is akin to deciphering a multi-layered espionage thriller. The Senate documents unveil a narrative blend of clandestine intelligence collection, covert operations and intricate espionage maneuvers — elements that could easily fit into a spy game.

Spy games aim to outsmart opponents and gain a strategic advantage through deception, surveillance and covert operations. Don’t be deceived by a sweet-sounding woman’s capabilities.

I am a passionate fan of spy books and movies, and I enjoy having my initial assumptions about secrets disproved. Such is the art and science of espionage; you don’t see what’s coming and going.

In my May 28 column, “The Curious Case of Alice Guo,” I raised the possibility that Guo could be a spy: “Her Tagalog flows calmly and confidently, with occasional moments of hesitation that only highlight her naivete or meticulous training and expertise.”

The “Guo is a spy” narrative has been on “X” (formerly Twitter) as early as the start of the Senate inquiry into Guo’s involvement in POGOs. A posted Chinese article (with English translation) said that Guo was a spy and traced her family’s origins in China.

In an Al Jazeera documentary, Chinese She Zhijiang, a tycoon currently detained in Thailand, claimed he was an agent of China’s Ministry of State Security, recruited in 2016 by a man he met in the Philippines. She is fighting extradition to China over charges related to operating online gambling sites.

During yesterday’s continuation of the Senate hearing on Guo’s alleged link to POGO criminal activities, Sen. Risa Hontiveros presented a video teleconference recording of her interview with Wang Fugui, a Chinese national who was supposedly entrusted with the files of former cellmate She upon his release from prison.

In the Hontiveros interview, Wang reiterated She’s claim and confirmed that Guo was a spy, but not a special one at that. He based his assumption on a copy of Guo’s state security background approved and declassified by She.

“Her (2022 mayoral) campaign itself was arranged by Chinese state security,” Wang said about Guo.

There have been too many spy claims, and members of the intelligence community are now investigating. The Senate’s alarm clock has woken them up.

Catching a spy can lead to diplomatic tensions between countries, jeopardize ongoing intelligence operations, and compromise valuable sources and methods. A spy’s capture can have undesirable consequences, making it crucial for spies to operate covertly and avoid detection at all costs.

One can’t help but wonder who might have compromised Guo’s identity. Why wasn’t she swiftly extracted and relocated without a trace to prevent embarrassment to her supposed handler? The potential fallout from her exposure is a matter of concern, especially if it leads to a void in her business interests here.

On the other hand, Guo’s continuing presence here despite the recent turn of events against her could be part of a change of plan for her supposed benefactor.

If Guo is a member of the China Ministry of State Security and was deployed to the Philippines to gather intelligence, the implications could be significant. China could implement internal strategies — a Trojan horse that could pave the way for a potential invasion in the mind game. Well, it’s happening in the West Philippine Sea.

Not all wars are fought on the battlefield; some are waged in the minds of the combatants, even on the internet.

On the outside, China may express anger at such a blatant accusation but on the inside, they are likely amused and thrilled by the ongoing “Sinophobia” in the Philippines.

Of course, any anti-Chinese sentiment could serve China’s interests by creating divisions and distractions in the Philippines, weakening its position in the region. Such a tangled web spies weave!

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