August 20, 2024
MANILA – Dismissed Bamban Mayor Alice Guo, otherwise known as Chinese national Guo Hua Ping, left the Philippines in July, according to Sen. Risa Hontiveros.
In a manifestation delivered during the Senate plenary session on Monday, Hontiveros revealed information that Guo was already out of the country and was, in fact, already in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on July 18.
The opposition senator said Guo used her Philippine passport to exit the country.
“According to my source, Alice Guo went to Singapore, where she met with her parents Lin Wen Yi and Guo Jian Zhing. The couple flew in from China on July 28, 2024. It seemed like a reunion because they were also with Wesley Guo and Cassandra Ong,” Hontiveros said, speaking partly in Filipino.
“Mr. President, who allowed this travesty to happen? Who let this happen? Alice Guo could not have left without the help of government officials. It’s like we were fried in our own grease. I have always believed that legislative hearings are policy-driven. So that when the President [Ferdinand Marcos Jr.] announced ban [on Philippine offshore gaming operators], I said to myself: We have done our jobs; let law enforcement take the lead,” she added.
This prompted Hontiveros to lambaste the Bureau of Immigration. According to her, the agency promised her and Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada that it wouldn’t allow Guo to leave the country.
She said that, if the Philippine government could not address this, it would be a big slap to the country’s laws, procedures, and policies.
Via a chartered plane?
Sen. Raffy Tulfo seconded Hontiveros’ speech, noting that he conducted a hearing earlier where he pointed out the lack of a processing center for passengers of chartered planes.
“If you’re a passenger who wants to go abroad on a chartered plane, you will not go through the process. You will not go through immigration. You will no longer go through the gate, in a limousine or SUV. And when you arrive at the tarmac, you will board your plane, and then here comes the customs, immigration, and quarantine [officials]. But if that is Alice Guo’s accomplice, it will be easy to get through because there is no CCTV where you are passing through,” Tulfo said in Filipino.
According to Guo, it was the reason why he told officials of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport to ensure that processing areas would be placed for passengers of chartered planes.
“I am very sure that she [Guo] left on a chartered plane — through a private plane. So all we need to do is ask if we can trace the private plane or chartered plane that left that very day,” he added.
He likewise noted the need to determine the customs, immigration, and quarantine officials who were on duty the day that Guo left the country.
In and out of the country?
Meanwhile, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian floated the possibility that Guo is coming in and out of the country.
“Talaga pong pinaglalaruan tayo at iniinsulto ang ating institusyon, dahil noong August 15 2024, nagpasa po si Guo Hua Ping ng motion to reopen and admit attached counter affidavit. Ito po ‘yung tungkol sa kaso niya na ifinile po ng Department of Justice (DOJ) sa human trafficking at dito po sa counter affidavit meron pong notary public. Na-notarize po noong August 14, 2024 by a certain Atty. Elmer Galicia na ang kanyang opisina ay nasa San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan,” said Gatchalian.
(We are really being played with and our institution is being insulted, because on August 15 2024, Guo Hua Ping filed a motion to reopen and admit attached counter affidavit. This is about her case that was finalized by the DOJ on human trafficking and here in the counter affidavit there is a notary public. It was notarized on August 14, 2024 by a certain Atty. Elmer Galicia whose office is in San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan.)
According to Gatchalian, his staff was able to talk to Galicia via phone call. Galicia, on the other hand, claimed that Guo personally came to his office in Bulacan on August 14.
“Talaga hong pinagloloko tayo dahil parang lumalabas at bumabalik at despite na meron pong arrest warrant ay hindi po ito pinapansin. Imbes, lumalabas at bumabalik po sa ating bansa—kung totoo po na meron siyang personal appearance dito po kay Atty. Galicia,” he added.
(She is really fooling us because she seems to be going out and coming back and despite having an arrest warrant, it is ignored. Instead, she is going out and coming back to our country — if it is true that she has a personal appearance here with Atty. Galicia.)
In a separate text message to reporters, Gatchalian shared a copy of a sworn counter affidavit that Guo filed on Aug 15, 2024 with the DOJ.
Gatchalian said if Guo is indeed, not in the country, then Galicia “is lying through his teeth.”
The Senate earlier issued an arrest order against Guo and seven others for refusing to appear, despite due notices, at the committee on women’s hearing on July 10.
READ: Guo sighted in Bulacan; law enforcers urged to arrest mayor in a month
The document stated that Guo’s refusal to appear before the Senate “delayed, impeded, and obstructed” the inquiry into the reported violation of human trafficking, serious illegal detention, and physical abuse and torture in the premises of an internet gaming licensee of the Philippine Amusement Gaming Corporation.
Guo is subjected to scrutiny after the Senate panel on women bared her alleged ties to illegal pogo firm Zun Yuan Technology Inc. in Bamban, Tarlac.
Questions about her citizenship were also raised, leading to allegations that she is a Chinese spy—which she vehemently denied.