Interpol alerted of ex-mayor, her 2 siblings, associate
President Marcos vowed to fire and charge government officials complicit in the escape of dismissed Bamban Mayor Alice Guo, raising concern over corruption in the country’s judicial system.
“Let me be clear: Heads will roll,” the President said. “The departure of Alice Guo has laid bare the corruption that undermines our judicial system and erodes public trust.”
“We will expose the culprits who have betrayed the people’s trust and aided in her flight. A full-scale investigation is already underway, and those responsible will be suspended and held accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” he added.
The Office of the President earlier ordered the Department of Justice and the Department of Foreign Affairs to proceed with the cancellation of the Philippine passports of Guo, her siblings Sheila and Wesley, and her business associate Cassandra Ong
“There is no room in this government for anyone who places personal interest above serving the Filipino people with honor, integrity, and justice,” Mr. Marcos said.
The DFA already alerted the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) about the Philippine passports of Guo, her siblings, and Ong for “appropriate action,” including whether these will be included in the organization’s blue or red list.
The Bureau of Immigration on Tuesday said Guo is now in Indonesia after fleeing the country on July 21 – most likely travelling via boat or private plane to Malaysia first before proceeding to Singapore and making her way to her present location in Southeast Asia.
Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) spokesperson Winston Casio said canceling Guo’s passport could trigger Interpol’s red notice, leading to her arrest and deportation.
“Once their passports are canceled, the main requirement for travel, which is the passport, will be gone for them. If that happens, it will trigger what we call a blue notice and a red notice from Interpol, and that would allow law enforcement agencies in that area to arrest them and send them back to the Philippines,” Casio said.
As this developed, a leader of the House of Representatives said she wants to know why the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte opened up the Philippines to the entry of Chinese nationals who are considered criminals in their own country through POGOs.
Guo, earlier identified as the same person as Chinese national Guo Hua Ping, was linked to the illegal operations of a POGO hub in her province.
“That’s the question we keep asking, especially when I saw the facilities of POGO. The whole world knows very well that those involved in POGO are banned in China. So, why was this allowed in our country?” Deputy Majority Leader and Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin.
She underscored the importance of the investigation of the House quad committee probe on POGOs, illegal drugs, extrajudicial killings and other social costs associated with foreign criminal syndicates.
The Senate, on the other hand, said it will pursue the filing of a criminal case against Guo for perjury and defiance of a Senate subpoena.
“This (Guo’s escape) is a slap in the face of the Bureau of Immigration, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, and the airport manager concerned. You can’t just walk into an airport undetected, nor can you leave our airports undocumented. You have to pass through immigration and countless CCTVs. There should be traces of movement inside the airport all the way to boarding the plane,” Gatchalian said.
“This is a temporary setback for the country. The cases should continue. She is now facing numerous charges. Her world will shrink, and the long arm of the law will eventually catch up to her,” he said.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline Marcos on Guo’s exit: “Heads will roll”
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