As far as we know, Alice Guo is still in PH
NO LIMIT After initially declaring that the burden of proof is on the accusers of Alice Guo (center), Senate President Francis Escudero said Senator Risa Hontiveros can hold as many hearings as she wants to find out the truth about the citizenship of the then mayor of Bamban, Tarlac. INQUIRER file photo / MARIANNE BERMUDEZ
MANILA, Philippines – Former Bamban Mayor Alice Guo is still in the Philippines and even asked the Department of Justice on August 16 to dismiss the human trafficking charges against her.
Deputy Justice Secretary Jose Dominic Clavano IV made a statement on Monday when asked about Senator Risa Hontiveros’ claim that Guo left the country in July.
READ: Alice Guo has left the Philippines – Hontiveros
“As far as we know, Mayor Guo is still in the country. The immigration office has not provided us with any report of an attempt to leave the country,” Clavano said.
“In fact, she filed a petition for her case with the Department of Justice last Friday, to which she attached a counter affidavit, which was notarized before a Philippine notary public on August 14, 2024. And there are reports of sightings by LEAs (law enforcement agencies) after July 18, 2024,” he added.
Clavano said they are still waiting for official confirmation from the NBI “whether the documents attributed to them are authentic.”
“We will continue to collect information from both the Bureau of Immigration and the National Bureau of Investigation. This is a case of national importance,” he said.
“So if it is indeed true that Alice Guo left the country, a thorough investigation is needed to bring those responsible to justice. This is not an easy matter,” the Justice Department official added.
In a statement during the Senate plenary session, Hontiveros revealed that Guo was already in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on July 18.
She added that Guo used her Philippine passport to leave the country.
Hontiveros was baffled as to how this could have happened and questioned the immigration office, which had previously promised her and Senate President pro-tempore Jinggoy Estrada that Guo would not be allowed to leave the country.
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Failure to address the issue would be a serious blow to the country’s laws, procedures and policies, Hontiveros said.
