manilastandard.net
@ManilaStandardPH
@mnlstandardph
@manilastandard
@ManilaStandardYT
Missed your copy of Manila Standard? Call or text our Circulation Hotline at 0917-8848655 or email: circulation@manilastandard.net . For advertisement: email: advertise@manilastandard.net • 09173382170 / 85646229
Alice Guo gets life sentence for qualified human trafficking By Pot Chavez and Ram Superable
VOL. XXXIX • NO. 279 • 3 SECTIONS 20 PAGES • P20 • FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2025
‘Foreign-funded destab is treason’
DISMISSED Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo – a Chinese woman who faked Philippine nationality – was found guilty of qualified trafficking in persons over the operations of an illegal POGO hub in her municipality. According to the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), the Pasig regional trial court Branch 167 sentenced Guo and three others to life imprisonment and imposed a P2 million fine. The court also ordered Guo’s immediate trans-
fer to the Correctional Institute for Women in Mandaluyong City from the Pasig city jail. Deputy State Prosecutor Olivia Torrevillas said the 35-year-old Guo and 7 other defendants, all of whom appeared via videolink, were found guilty beyond reasonable doubt. “After over just one year, the court... gave us a favorable decision. Alice [Guo] was convicted along with seven other co-accused. Life imprisonment,” Torrevillas said. “It is the first time that the DeNext page
Palace says AFP, PNP investigating issue By Katrina Manubay and Rex Espiritu
A
NY foreign-funded attempt to destabilize the Marcos administration, if proven true, would be tantamount to treason against the Philippines, Malacañang on Thursday said.
Palace: Nothing more to say on Bersamin’s case
Palace Press Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police are checking on the possibility that foreign actors may have a hand in the recent rally conducted at the People Power Monument in Quezon City. “If this is proven true, and if in their investigation they see that this rally was indeed foreign-funded, then we can say that this is treason against the people,” Castro said. She said it would be unacceptable for any foreign country to interfere in domestic affairs. “I hope these kinds of activities don’t get any worse if they are funded by other countries,” the Palace of official said. The military earlier said it was checking what it described as “unusual” logistical and financial support
By Katrina Manubay MALACAÑANG stood by its official word on the departure of former Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, with Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecre Undersecretary Claire Castro defending the reason behind his exit despite Bersamin denying he had resigned. In a press briefing on Thursday, Castro emphasized that the PCO only announced what has been officially conveyed and that no information will be released beyond Malacañang’s directive. She noted that they respect Bersamin’s sentiments. “Again, what we announced came from the Pal Palace and we respect the feelings of ES Bersamin. What the Palace said was what we are only an announcing,” Castro said. Bersamin on Wednesday denied he resigned ‘out of delicadeza.’ He also wrote a letter ad addressed to President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. accept accepting his decision and assured to help his successor, former Finance Secretary Ralph Recto, settle in at the Office of Executive Secretary. Secre“My holding the office of the Executive Secre tary was subject to your presidential prerogative to
Next page
‘Speaker Dy’s stay depends on House, not the President’ MALACAÑANG on Thursday distanced itself from recent reports of a possible plot to replace House Speaker Bojie Dy. Presidential Communications Office (PCO) UnderUnder secretary Claire Castro clarified that the choice of congressional leaders is beyond the President’s authority. “The selection of congressional leadership is not within the President’s hands. Whatever decisions they make and how they operate is beyond the President’s authority,” Castro said in a press briefing at the Palace. “It is up to them to determine what they want to do in the House of Representatives,” she added. Meanwhile, The 39-strong Northern Luzon Alliance issued a manifesto declaring its “unequivocal support” for Speaker Dy III as it highlighted his
Next page
MAKEOVER. Workers spruce up the monument of Andres Bonifacio in Caloocan City ahead of the celebration of the 162nd birth anniversary of the revolutionary hero. Andrew Rabulan
Next page
ICI taps PNP, NBI to check extortion syndicate By Joel E. Zurbano THE Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) seeks assistance from law enforcement agencies to look into reports that a syndicate is using the ICI
ONE ON ONE. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos
share a moment during the ceremony honoring outstanding overseas Filipino workers at the 2025 Bagong Bayani Awards. PCO
BARMM chief minister, five govs declare full support for PBBM
By Vito Barcelo
OFFICIALS of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), including Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua and the region’s five provincial governors,
have declared full support for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s intensified campaign against corruption. “The Bangsamoro government stands with President Marcos in this campaign, united in the belief that Next page
to extort money from lawmakers. ICI officials asserted however, that this was the first time they have heard of such scheme. ICI chairman Andres Reyes Jr. said the commission was unaware of indi-
viduals pretending to be representatives of the panel in order to extort money from some lawmakers. “We don’t know who these people are. It is known that Filipinos possess numerous Next page
DA flags eight ghost FMR Davao projects THE Department of Agriculture yesterday flagged eight “missing” farm-tomarket roads in Davao Occidental worth some P100 million that were funded from 2021 to 2023 but never built, according to an initial audit report. DA spokesperson Arnel de Mesa told reporters in a briefing that initial reports found that four projects in Davao Occidental that were funded under the national budget for the years 2021, 2022, and 2023, were still unfinished. Next page
AUCTION. Independent Commission for Infrastructure Chairman Andres Reyes applauds
the ceremonial ringing of the bell to officially mark the start of the public bidding for the seven (7) high-end motor vehicles seized from the Discayas at BOC–South, Harbor, Port Area Manila. With him were Department of Finance Secretary Frederick Go, Bureau of Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno, and LTO Chief Markus Lakanilao. Norman Cruz