EDITORIAL — Selfies with Alice

They chartered a private jet on Wednesday night, apparently in a rush to show that they were the ones who picked up a suspect who had been evading the law since July. And they probably wanted to preserve for posterity the moment when they took custody of one of the Philippines’ most wanted, Alice Guo.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos and Philippine National Police chief Gen. Rommel Marbil accomplished their objectives in Indonesia, although not quite in the way they wanted. Even before their chartered flight bearing Guo touched down early yesterday at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport from Indonesia, the two officials were already taking flak from netizens as video and photographs spread showing them with the dismissed mayor of Bamban, Tarlac.

President Marcos downplayed the images, saying the Philippines is the world’s “selfie capital,” but others were not amused. Guo was wanted for serious offenses including qualified human trafficking and money laundering. For the 87 counts of money laundering involving about P7 billion used for Philippine offshore gaming operations, the combined prison term could be from 609 to 1,218 years, according to an official of the Anti-Money Laundering Council.

Such a wanted person should have been frisked for deadly weapons, placed in handcuffs and perhaps made to wear a bulletproof vest, if her claim of getting death threats is true. Instead, video and photos showed Guo beaming and striking poses worthy of TikTok, as if she was enjoying afternoon tea with the Philippines’ secretary of the interior and national police chief, no less, both of whom were also seen smiling for the cameras.

Abalos explained yesterday that his photo with Marbil and Guo was taken for documentation purposes, and they were not aware that she was posing with peace signs while looking thrilled. The PNP apologized to the public for the photos. The director of the National Bureau of Investigation also apologized for the images showing NBI agents who escorted Guo taking selfies as they all grinned together with the suspect. There is no word from the Bureau of Immigration, the agency tagged by President Marcos in Guo’s escape, and whose agents were also in the photos.

Yesterday, the PNP swung to the other side of the pendulum as Guo was escorted to the regional trial court in Capas, Tarlac, where she refused to post bail and opted instead to remain in police custody. This time, Guo was covered head to toe in what looked like COVID protective garb. Why this was done is as baffling as her VIP escort service from Indonesia to Manila. But at least her garb for her court appearance discouraged any selfies.