Alice Guo was a mayor like no other, say her supporters. At Christmas, she would hand out gifts of ham and spaghetti to local people. When school term started, she would give notebooks and bags to children.
She wasn’t from a prominent political family, as is often the case in the Philippines, yet she rose to become the first female leader of the town of Bamban in Tarlac province. On social media, Guo seemed fun and friendly. In a “day in the life” YouTube video, she showed off her white fluffy pomeranian, revealed her preferred shampoo brand and cheerfully told viewers that her favourite colour is pink – her campaign colour.
Under her leadership, the quiet, little-known town of Bamban suddenly seemed to attract investment. A branch of McDonald’s and of the popular Filipino chain Jollibee opened for the first time, and a new supermarket was on its way. “The town was progressing,” says local resident Juliet Buquiran.
“She’s kind and sweet to the children.” Outside her home hangs a sign that reads: “Mayor Alice, We Need You Here in the Town of Bamban.” Yet Guo is nowhere to be seen.
Instead she is at the centre of a scandal that has gripped the Philippines. She is now suspended from her role and being hunted by the authorities while questions about her true identity baffle and captivate the country. It began in March, when officials from the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) raided a sprawling office compound that stands 100 metres from.