Guo sister, companion back in Philippines after arrest

MANILA, Philippines — Two companions of dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo – her sister Sheila and Lucky South 99 incorporator Cassandra Li Ong – arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 on board Philippine Airlines flight PR540 that landed at 4:18 p.m. yesterday.

Escorted by four female Philippine immigration officials, Guo and Ong were met at the airport by National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) director Jaime Santiago and Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Norman Tansingco.

The two were brought to the immigration counter for processing and whisked away by personnel, first to the BI for medical and inquest procedures, then to the NBI headquarters for questioning and debriefing.

Sheila Guo will be turned over to the custody of the Senate while Ong will be under the House of Representatives, in accordance with their respective warrants.

Indonesian immigration officials apprehended the pair at the Mega Mall Batam Centre in Riau, Indonesia on Aug. 20.

While Alice Guo was initially believed to have entered Indonesia with them via a cruise ship from Singapore, she apparently evaded authorities.

Upon learning that the Guo siblings traveled to Batam island last Aug. 18, the BI said they immediately coordinated with their Indonesian counterparts, who initiated an investigation on the subjects’ whereabouts.

“They were considered illegal aliens by Indonesian immigration as they are wanted in the Philippines,” said Tansingco.

The BI also learned that a male Singaporean national allegedly assisted four persons, reportedly including  Guo’s brother Wesley, in booking their stay in Indonesia.

Sheila Guo and Ong were allegedly about to leave Batam Island when the Indonesian investigation team from the Directorate of Wasdakim intercepted them and initiated their return to the Philippines.

The Guos and Ong – who flew to Indonesia while under investigation for illegal activities in Philippine offshore gaming operator hubs in Porac, Pampanga and Bamban – were subjects of active warrants issued by the Senate and Congress.

Santiago confirmed they are now coordinating with the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) to find Alice Guo.

He said they have plans to request a blue notice from Interpol to help determine Guo’s whereabouts. While the investigation is ongoing, they have not confirmed if Guo is still in the Philippines.

Coordination

The Philippines has worked with Indonesian authorities for the return of Sheila Guo and business associate Ong, President Marcos said yesterday.

“You know what I know, that they were intercepted in various places in Singapore and Indonesia. And, we are now of course in coordination with the Indonesian government and their agencies, arranging for them to be brought back,” the President told reporters in Malacañang.

Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said that Sheila Guo and Ong will be under NBI custody for questioning.

“We have to debrief them. We have to know what happened. We have to process them first. The legislative investigation should come later. We have to process everybody in accordance with the law,” he said.

On the issue of canceling passports, Remulla said the Philippine government cannot summarily do this as such documents are “vested with rights.”

“It was not found advisable also to treat it summarily because if the passports are canceled immediately then how can you make them travel back to the country,” he added.

For her part, Sen. Risa Hontiveros commended Indonesian authorities for the immediate arrest of Guo and Ong. Hontiveros said she looks forward to their attendance in the Senate’s next hearing on Tuesday.

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian expressed confidence that with the apprehension of Guo and Ong by the Indonesian authorities, “it is only a matter of time before Guo Hua Ping, aka Alice Guo, is brought to justice.”

Custody

Senate President Francis Escudero said he had already spoken to Senate Secretary Renato Bantug Jr. and Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Lt. Gen. Roberto Ancan for arrangements on the custody of the individuals involved.

“Senate Secretary and Sgt-at-Arms will coordinate with BI and the office of Senator Risa to enforce and effect the warrant of arrest issued by the Senate vs. Sheila Guo and detain her at the Senate,” Escudero said.

Escudero said the OSAA “would effect the arrest of Sheila Guo at the airport and bring her to the Senate detention facility.”

Ancan also told the Senate President that they have “made coordination with HOR-SAA (House of Representatives-Sgt-At-Arms).”

Maj. Gen. Napoleon Taas said that they will take custody of Cassandra Ong. The PNP will arrest her at NAIA then bring her to HOR where she will be detained.”

Guo in Batam

Alice Guo is staying in Batam City, Indonesia based on latest information received by the Philippine Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), which is tracking her movement.

Citing information from their foreign counterparts, PAOCC spokesman Winston John Casio said yesterday Guo arrived in Batam last Sunday by ferry from Singapore.

“In Indonesia, the latest sighting was in Batam on Tuesday,” Casio said over radio dzBB. “We need to apply for an Interpol blue notice to track her location, movement as a person of interest in a criminal investigation of a sovereign member country.”

The PAOCC and the PNP have asked the justice department to reject the motion of Guo to reopen the investigation and admit her counter-affidavit on qualified trafficking complaint lodged against her and others.

In their comment/opposition filed before the DOJ, the complainants expressed doubts that Guo personally appeared before a notary public in San Jose del Monte on Aug. 14.

They noted that Guo did not personally appear before prosecutors to submit her motion and counter-affidavit.

Through her legal counsel, Guo yesterday asked the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for additional 10 days to answer the misrepresentation charges against her.

Comelec Chairman George Garcia previously said that the preliminary investigation into the criminal liability of Guo will proceed despite reports that she had slipped out of the country. –  Emmanuel Tupas, Delon Porcalla, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Daphne Galvez, Mark Ernest Villeza, Romina Cabrera, Alexis Romero, Mayen Jaymalin