Shiela Guo Reveals She is Not Sister of Alice Guo; Shiela Could Turn State Witness

August 29, 2024 Philippines Crime & Legal

Shiela Guo revealed that she was born in China, not the Philippines. This admission came amid an ongoing investigation into the escape of dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo.

Shiela, who has been previously identified as Alice Guo’s sister, clarified that she is not related to Alice by blood.

“Hindi po, ako hindi (not me),” Shiela stated when asked if she was born in the Philippines. When asked if she was born in China, Shiela answered: “Opo (yes).”

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has identified Shiela as Zhang Mier, a Chinese national who fraudulently obtained a Philippine passport. Zhang Mier was the name used by Shiela Guo in her Chinese passport when Indonesian immigration authorities arrested her and Cassandra Ong on August 20, 2024.

Shiela arrived in the Philippines in 2001, according to her testimony during the August 27, 2024, Senate subcommittee hearing. She admitted that she was given a Philippine passport by her foster father, Guo Jian Zhong (the biological father of Alice Guo).

Shiela admitted that she is a Chinese citizen who arrived in the Philippines at the age of 16 or 17 to work in an embroidery business at the request of Alice’s father. She claims that she only met Alice when she was already 17 or 18 years old.

“Sabi kasi ni Daddy, tulungan ko daw siya ng business niya (Daddy asked me to help him with his business),” she was quoted as saying in a report published by GMA Network.

“Bigay sa akin ni Daddy. Sabi niya, ‘yun na ‘yung passport mo na ano, pag may punta sa travel o ano ‘yun na ang gagamitin mo,” (It was given to me by Daddy. He told me that this is now my passport and that I should use it for travel and other matters.)

The NBI also confirmed that Shiela and Alice Guo have different biological fathers, both Chinese. “Tunay [na] tatay iba. Iba kami, ‘yung tunay na tatay,” (Our real fathers are different. We have different biological fathers.) Shiela said.

During the Senate hearing, Shiela admitted she was not aware of her legal status and accepted her documents from Zhong without questioning their authenticity. “Hindi ako dito pinanganak. Sa China ako pinanganak,” (I was not born here. I was born in China,) she stated.

Justice Undersecretary Nicholas Felix Ty believes that Shiela could potentially qualify as a state witness. “I don’t want to get ahead of such a thing, but she is qualified. Because if you think of it, she’s not the mastermind of all these illegal things,” Ty was quoted as saying in an August 28 article published by the Inquirer.

He noted that for Shiela to become a state witness, a case must first be filed against her, and she would need to be formally discharged on those grounds.

Shiela’s appearance before the Senate aimed to shed light on how Alice Guo managed to escape Philippine jurisdiction despite an arrest warrant and lookout bulletin. This case has raised significant questions about the integrity of legal and immigration processes.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian also questioned Shiela about her relationship with Alice. “Si Alice hindi mo sya tunay na kapatid?” (Is Alice not your real sister?) he asked. Shiela said, “Hindi po,” (No) in response.

Alice is the subject of a Senate probe in connection with her alleged ties to illegal Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) in her town in Bamban, Tarlac.

Meanwhile, Sheila is named as a co-incorporator in Baofu Land Development Incorporated, which leased its land to Hongsheng Gaming Technology Inc., later renamed Zun Yuan Technology. This is the raided POGO in Tarlac, with whom Alice has ties.

Shiela’s name also appeared 96 times on various documents, including 66 times as a corporate secretary, 20 times as an auditor, 10 times as an incorporator, and CFO of different companies.