"There is consensus that indeed she (Alice Guo) is an agent of influence."
The Philippines currently does not have any legislation that defines what an "agent of influence" is, according to NICA Deputy Director General Francisco Acedillo. However, he said there is a consensus that Alice Guo or Guo Hua Ping is an agent of influence, based on the information revealed within committee hearings from both the Senate and House of Representatives and within discussions of the intelligence community.
According to Deputy Director General Acedillo during the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality hearing on Tuesday, "there are several ways to define an agent of influence. What is applicable on the part of Guo Hua Ping is that she uses her influence, her stature, or her position, to influence public opinion or decision-making to produce results beneficial to the country whose services they benefit from."
The Philippines currently does not have any legislation that defines what an "agent of influence" is, according to NICA Deputy Director General Francisco Acedillo. However, he said there is a consensus that Alice Guo or Guo Hua Ping is an agent of influence, based on the information revealed within committee hearings from both the Senate and House of Representatives and within discussions of the intelligence community.
According to Deputy Director General Acedillo during the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality hearing on Tuesday, "there are several ways to define an agent of influence. What is applicable on the part of Guo Hua Ping is that she uses her influence, her stature, or her position, to influence public opinion or decision-making to produce results beneficial to the country whose services they benefit from."
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TVTranscript
00:00In the last hearing, NICA committed to look into reports on Gua Huaping's involvement
00:08in the intelligence activities of a foreign government.
00:12Are you able to speak to this now?
00:15Can you confirm that Gua Huaping is an agent of influence?
00:21Madam Chair, in addressing that question, there was a supervening event wherein what
00:30was being thrown around in the public sphere and in the media was that, well, whether or
00:34not Gua Huaping was a spy.
00:38And in our coordinations with the committee, we acknowledged that the term has been loosely
00:44used.
00:45However, since this is a hearing in aid of legislation, and given the fact that there
00:52are current efforts to amend our espionage law, as well as to pass a foreign law to counter
01:01foreign influence and foreign interference, we would like to be as specific and as accurate
01:10as we would like to be.
01:12We would like to distinguish between a foreign intelligence agent and an agent of influence,
01:17because they are different.
01:19As to the question whether or not Gua Huaping is a spy, or to be more accurate, a foreign
01:24intelligence agent, it requires a determination of fact, meaning that the intelligence agency
01:31to which that trained her, employed her and supervised her or controlled her, either confirms
01:42or an officer of that agency confirms the existence or the fact rather of Ms. Gua Huaping
01:50being their agent.
01:55We have not come to that determination yet, Madam Chair.
01:58Which brings us to the question, is she an agent of influence?
02:03We do not have currently any legislation or any convention in our country that defines
02:10what an agent of influence is.
02:12However, within an historical context, Madam Chair, given that these activities have been
02:17common, especially during the Cold War, the activities and the facts that have come to
02:25light so far in this committee and in other committees, especially in the House, point
02:30to the fact that she is.
02:31And even in discussions within the intelligence community, there is consensus that indeed
02:37she is an agent of influence.
02:40What does that mean?
02:41If I may just read, Madam Chair, there are several ways to define an agent of influence.
02:51What is applicable and on the part of Ms. Gua Huaping is that she uses her influence,
03:01her stature or her position to influence public opinion or decision-making to produce results
03:08beneficial to the country whose services they benefit from.
03:16So to that effect, Madam Chair, that is applicable to her and therefore she may be classified
03:22as such, although we would like to acknowledge that there is no law currently that defines
03:28it as such.
03:29However, intelligence and counterintelligence convention, which falls under our purview,
03:36recognizes that convention, Madam Chair.