By Wilnard Bacelonia

AGENT. Dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo appears before the quad committee of the House of Representatives during its hearing into illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators on Sept. 19, 2024. National Intelligence Coordinating Agency Deputy Director Francisco Acedillo on Tuesday (Nov. 26) told a Senate hearing that Guo may possibly be an “agent of influence” who uses her stature or position to influence public opinion or decision-making to produce results beneficial to the country whose services they benefit from. (PNA photo by Joan Bondoc)

MANILA – National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) Deputy Director Francisco Acedillo on Tuesday told the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality that dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo is possibly an “agent of influence.”

During the panel’s last hearing on criminal activities perpetuated by Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators and alleged spying activities by Chinese agents on Philippine soil, Acedillo explained that Guo can be categorized as such because she uses her influence, stature, or position to influence public opinion or decision-making “to produce results beneficial to the country whose services they benefit from.”

“So, to that effect, Madam Chair, that is applicable to her and therefore, she may be classified as such. Although we would like to acknowledge that there is no law currently that defines it as such,” Acedillo told Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros who chairs the panel. “However, intelligence and counterintelligence convention, which falls under our purview, recognizes that convention.”

“However, within the historical context, given that these activities have been common especially during the Cold War, the activities and the facts that have come to light so far in this committee and in other committees, especially in the House (of Representatives), point to the fact that she (Guo) is (an agent of influence). And even in discussions within the intelligence community, there is consensus that indeed she is an agent of influence,” he added.

Acedillo clarified that an “agent of influence” is different from a “foreign intelligence agent” who should have been trained, employed, and supervised or controlled by an intelligence agency.

Guo is suspected to be a Chinese spy after a documentary by news network Al Jazeera revealed her supposed links to She Zhijiang, a self-confessed Chinese spy detained in Thailand and who alleged that he has been working with the dismissed mayor. (PNA)