Gatchalian info: Gov't agencies knew about Guo escape earlier

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said on Friday that government agencies might have conspired with one another to conceal the escape of former mayor Alice Guo despite an immigration lookout bulletin issued against her.

“We only knew about it one month after it happened, pero narinig ko sa ibang ahensya matagal na nilang alam,” Gatchalian said in an online press conference.

(I heard that other agencies already knew about it.)

“The public should have been informed because the public is our ally here. Ako...nagiging suspicious ako, dahil bakit tinago pa sa amin at sa publiko?," he asked.

(I am getting suspicious because why hide it from us?)

"Parang gusto pa itago ang problema na nakalusot ang tao, gustong pagtakpan na nakalusot,” Gatchalian added.

(It’s as if they want to hide the problem and cover it up.)

Guo's name was listed on the immigration lookout bulletin following the investigation into her true identity and her link to illegal POGO activities in her town.

She was dismissed by the Office of the Ombudsman for grave misconduct.

The Bureau of Immigration said Friday that Guo is currently in Indonesia.

What happened to intel funds?

While Guo’s companions Sheila Guo and Cassandra Ong of Lucky South 99 are now in the custody of Philippine authorities, Gatchalian said that the former mayor remaining on the loose gives the law enforcement agencies an embarassing look.

“To date, it is a mystery how she was able to leave. That alone is a big blunder on the part of enforcement agencies," Gatchalian said. 

"What happens to billions of intelligence funds? Bakit nakalusot ang isang Alice Guo sa kanilang pagmomonitor? Nakakadismaya dahil hanggang ngayon hindi pa natin alam paano nakalabas,” Gatchalian added.

(Why was Alice Guo able to slip past their radar? It has been very disappointing that, to date, we have no idea how she was able to escape.)

Guo’s escape, Gatchalian said, does not build confidence that authorities are competent to go after high-profile criminal suspects.

“This does not boost confidence because there are a lot of others who are yet to be located... That is something that I will ask about during the upcoming budget season. What happened to our billions of intelligence fund? Hindi makita kung paano ginagamit,” Gatchalian added.

(I cannot see how the intelligence fund is serving its purpose.) —VAL, GMA Integrated News