August 26, 2024 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — The sister of dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo may be deported to China once all criminal charges filed against her are resolved, according to the Bureau of Immigration (BI).
In a statement, the BI said that Sheila Guo is a Chinese citizen with a passport under the name Zhang Mier.
She is currently detained at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
Sheila and her companion Cassandra Li Ong are facing complaints of obstruction of justice, harboring a fugitive and violation of the Philippine Passport Act.
Sheila Guo is also reportedly facing a deportation case before the BI for undesirability and possible misrepresentation as a Filipino national.
BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco said that if it would be confirmed that Sheila indeed fraudulently acquired her Philippine documents, she would be deported to China since she still holds a Chinese passport valid until 2031.
Tansingco, however, noted that Sheila’s actual deportation would be suspended pending resolution of all her criminal cases and other liabilities in the Philippines.
In investigating the case of the dismissed mayor and her companions, the BI said it would closely coordinate with the NBI and the Department of Justice.
Guo might have left the country via the “backdoor” and traveled to Denpasar, Bali in Indonesia on July 17, before transferring to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia the following day, according to reports.
She, along with her siblings Sheila and Wesley, then flew to Singapore on July 21, and proceeded to Indonesia on Aug. 18.
It is believed that in Singapore, Guo met with her parents Lin Wen Yi and Guo Jian Zhong and also Ong.
Ong is reportedly the incorporator of the company that leased parcels of land to a Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) hub in Porac, Pampanga.
The three Guo siblings and their parents are subjects of an arrest warrant issued by the Senate in connection with the POGO investigation, while the House of Representatives has a contempt order against Ong.
Sheila and Ong were captured by immigration authorities at Mega Mall Batam Centre in Riau, Indonesia and deported to the Philippines last Thursday.
Authorities are still searching for the dismissed mayor and Wesley.
PNP efforts continue
Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police (PNP) yesterday said it continues its efforts to locate Guo.
The PNP is actively coordinating with the NBI, BI and foreign counterparts to locate Guo, according to PNP’s chief publicist Col. Jean Fajardo.
“Our collaboration with foreign counterparts will continue, and we are hopeful that, similar to the cases of Cassandra Li Ong and Sheila Guo, we will see positive developments that will allow us to bring Mayor Alice Guo back to the country,” Fajardo said.
Asked whether the PNP has been able to speak with the two individuals currently in NBI custody, Fajardo deferred to the NBI, which has custody of Sheila and Ong.
“We have to defer to the NBI as they have custody of the two mentioned individuals. However, on the part of the PNP, we are ready to provide any necessary police assistance if requested by the NBI,” Fajardo said.
Sheila and Ong, who were captured in Indonesia last week, were believed to be with Alice, who evaded arrest.
Sheila was caught carrying a Chinese passport during her arrest and had an entry stamp in Malaysia, questioning her exit from the Philippines.
Over the weekend, Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission spokesman Winston Casio said Guo is attempting to evade arrest by fleeing to the Golden Triangle in Southeast Asia.
Casio indicated that the region, known for its porous borders and transnational crimes, is a likely refuge for Guo due to her family’s business interests in Cambodia.
Casio said Guo and her companions have been on the run since mid-July, having traveled through Malaysia and Singapore before reaching Indonesia.
The Senate plans to question Sheila and Ong to identify any government officials who may have aided them in their escape.
Guo is one of the highest in the POGO leadership structure as the gaming hub would not have been established in her hometown if it wasn’t for her, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian said over the weekend.
Gatchalian said Guo or Chinese Guo Hua Ping, who is now hiding after the Senate issued a warrant of arrest for her refusal to appear in its investigation into POGO-related crimes, benefitted from POGO proceeds.
“One of the highest for sure,” Gatchalian said when asked whether Guo is the highest in the structure of POGOs.
“POGO wouldn’t (have) happen(ed) in Bamban if it wasn’t for her. She also benefitted from the money coming in, so she is definitely one of the highest,” Gatchalian added.
Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros, in a privileged speech last week, revealed that Guo left the Philippines on July 18 and arrived in Malaysia on the same day. Authorities, however, have yet to disclose the circumstances of their escape.
President Marcos said government authorities have been investigating Guo after a raid of an “online scamming hub” initially reported operating inside a 10-hectare compound.
Guo owned Baofu Land Development that leased the compound, where stand 32 building structures overlooks the municipal offices. — Mark Ernest Villeza, Cecille Suerte Felipe
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