House leaders call for probe of Alice Guo’s escape, say heads must roll

LEADERS of the House of Representatives on Tuesday called for an investigation into how former Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo fled the country, saying heads must roll in the concerned agencies, particularly the Bureau of Immigration.

In a news conference, the lawmakers suggested that Guo’s escape be covered by the ongoing Quad Comm inquiry, since she has been linked to illegal Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) in her town.

“Heads must roll. We need to know how did she escape…it’s really disappointing that she was able to escape. So yes, heads must roll. Where did she escape? NAIA? A private airport? Nagbangka ba siya? All of those things. We have find out exactly how did she escape our country and heads must roll,” Lanao del Norte Rep. Mohamad Khalid Dimaporo, who chairs the committee on Muslim affairs, said.

Bases conversion committee chairman and Zambales Rep. Jefferson Khonghun said the immigration bureau has a lot of questions to answer.

“Well, nakakalungkot at nakaalis na nga…si Alice Guo at nasa Malaysia na, nasa Singapore na at talagang nakakalungkot at talagang dapat maimbestigahan,” he said.

He said the former mayor would not have been able to leave the country without bribing government officials, particularly in the Bureau of Immigration.

“Siyempre hindi naman talaga makakaalis yan kung walang nilangisan yan na mga opisyales ng ating pamahalaan, lalong lalo na są Bureau of Immigration. Hindi rin kami, hindi rin ako naniniwala na walang alam ang Bureau of Immigration dahil siyempre sila yung ahensiya ng gobyerno nagbabantay sa ating mga ports and airports,” he said. 

“So sana ano, dapat ito’y maimbestigahan at managot kung sino yung mga taong may kasalanan dahil hindi tayo naniniwala na kayang gawin lang ni Alice Guo yan na walang tulong, lalung-lalo na sa mga tiwaling opisyal ng Bureau of Immigration,” he added.

Khonghun proposed that any inquiry into the former mayor’s escape should include her lawyers.

“At siyempre kailangan din natin panagutin ang mga abogado na nagtakip sa kanya, nagtakip ng kanyang pag-alis, lalung-lalo na yung nag-notarize ng kanyang affidavit sa DOJ. Bakit nangyari yon?” he said.

“So maraming tao, di lang iisa, di lang sa Bureau of Immigration…pati sa mga abogado niya na nagtakip ng kanyang pag-alis, kailangan din maimbistigan, kailangan din may ipatawag at kailangan sagutin nila kung ano yung kanilang mga contribution lalung-lalo sa pagkatakas ni Alice Guo,” he said. 

Deputy Majority Leader and Tingog Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre suggested that Quad Comm include in its investigation Guo’s escape.

“Probably not as a separate investigation but definitely something that the QuadComm needs to also study and to also investigate. Kasi makikita na hindi naman to mangyayari nang walang kooperasyon ng iilan sa gobyerno o mayroong pumalya sa gobyerno,” he said.

He said Guo’s flight amounted to an admission of guilt.

“Ibig sabihin kung ano man ang mga haka-haka o mga alegasyon tungkol kay Alice Guo ay pwede na nating masabing may katotohanan, eh kung hindi, hindi naman talaga siya aalis hindi ba?” Acidre said.

He pointed out that Guo’s getaway illegal shows POGOs are really a syndicated operation.

He added that government bureaucrats appointed by the Duterte administration might have been complicit in the former mayor’s escape.

“So, kailangan nating alamin, kailangan nating mas lalo pa nating alamin kung sino ang mananagot, hindi lang na nakaalis si Alice Guo, kung sinong mananagot bakit mukhang binolunteer talaga natin ang Pilipinas nung nakarang administration, binolunteer ang Pilipinas na maging pugad ng krimen,” he stressed.

For her part, Assistant Majority Leader and Nueva Ecija Rep. Mikaela Angela “Mika” Suansing said aside from corruption and complicity issues, her concern is where Guo is now and how she could be returned to the country to face charges.

“Nasaan na siya ngayon? Kasi July pa iyong huling report, yung una parang Indonesia muna siya tapos lumipat sa Malaysia tapos nakipagkita siya sa pamilya niya sa Singapore. Pero pagkatapos nung Singapore na meet-up point nila ng pamilya niya, wala na makapagsabi nasaan na siya. So siguro yun din yung mahalaga na tanungin natin, nasaan na si Alice Guo ngayon?” she said. 

“Baka kailangan na rin po natin hingiin ngayon iyong tulong ng ibang mga bansa patungkol po sa Interpol, baka kailangan na mag-issue ng alert order para lang malaman, tignan… nasaan na siya ngayon? Iyan po siguro iyong mahalagang tanong bukod sa paano siya nakalabas, nasaan na siya ngayon at paano po natin siya maibabalik dito sa ating bansa,” Suansing said.