Immigration bureau kept info on Alice Guo exit - Gatchalian

Metro Manila, Philippines – For at least two weeks, the Bureau of Immigration concealed information that dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo had fled the country, a lawmaker said Friday, while demanding an explanation.

“Kung hindi pa nabanggit ni Senator Risa sa plenary hindi pa malalaman ng buong bansa,” Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said in an online press conference.

[Translation: If Senator Risa hadn’t mentioned it in the plenary, the whole country wouldn’t have known.]

He referred to opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros’ exposé on Monday that Guo had left the country on July 18.

“May information rin, may nagsabi rin sa akin na alam na ito ng BI almost two weeks before yung August [19] revelation so kaya magtataka ka bakit inantay pa ng two weeks,” Gatchalian said.

[Translation: There is also information, and someone told me that the BI knew about this almost two weeks before the August 19 revelation, so it's puzzling why they waited an additional two weeks.]

He said he found it difficult to accept Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco’s statement that the delay was for the need to validate information.

READ: BI did not immediately release info on Guo’s whereabouts due to validation

“I don’t think it will take two weeks to validate,” Gatchalian said.

He said even President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. was kept in the dark.

“Tingin ko itinago rin yan sa ating pangulo e. Even ang president hindi niya alam na umalis na pala si Alice Guo – nalaman niya rin sa media… Dahil nagalit siya e. If you see his reaction talagang disappointed siya,” Gatchalian said.

“Nakakahiya to para sa ating pangulo dahil siya mismo hindi nabrief na umalis na pala si Alice Guo,” he added.

[Translation: I think that was also kept from our president. Even the president didn’t know that Alice Guo had already left. He found out through the media… That’s why he was angry. If you see his reaction, he was clearly disappointed. This is embarrassing for our President because he himself wasn’t briefed that Alice Guo had already left.]

He said this is among the angles he will pursue during the Senate investigation on Tuesday, Aug. 27, which stemmed from Hontiveros’ privilege speech. 

Gatchalian said it is just a matter of time before Guo is found after the arrest of her sister, Sheila Guo, and alleged illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator representative Cassandra Li Ong.

The National Bureau of Investigation, which has custody of the two, said they will be brought to the Senate for the hearing.

As for Guo, Gatchalian said she was last seen in Banten, Indonesia according to law enforcement agencies.