Cognac, tortoises and a pink-striped helicopter: inside the mystery of Alice Guo, the missing Philippines mayor
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.
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.
