Alice Guo's lawyer hopeful she'd surrender 'sooner than expected'

The lawyer of dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo is hopeful she will surrender sooner than expected.

In Sandra Aguinaldo's report on "24 Oras," Stephen David said he was able to talk to Guo on Thursday, but did not discuss her whereabouts.

“Hindi naman natin alam kung nasa Indonesia siya pero ako, I’m very hopeful na meron akong negotiation for her to face the court, to surrender and I believe in a very near future, sooner than we expect darating siya at haharap. I don’t think kailangan pa ngang maaresto o mahuli,” he said. 

(We don't know if she is in Indonesia but for me, I'm very hopeful that I have a negotiation for her to face the court, to surrender and I believe in a very near future, sooner than we expect she will come and face it. I don't think it is even necessary to be arrested.) 

He said he is confident that they can defend Alice in court. However, he added Guo is worried about her security.

“She’s very cooperative, meron lang daw siyang agam-agam sa kanyang seguridad. I’m working on that. Gusto lang niya talaga ipagpatuloy namin ang depensa sa kanyang kaso,” David added. 

(She's very cooperative, but she worries about her security. I'm working on that. She just wants us to continue to defend her case.)

According to the authorities, Guo had already been out of the country since July 18, but a lawyer -- Elmer Galicia, said he saw Guo in Bulacan on August 14.

This was when he notarized her counter affidavit in the human trafficking complaint at the justice department.

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said Galicia will be held accountable if proven to have lied.

“Pwede sigurong papasok sa perjury. Perjury. But sa administratively bilang abugado siya it may cost his license or suspension kung mapatunayan na nagsisinungaling sya. Ganun po,” said NBI Director Jaime Santiago. 

(He can probably face perjury. Perjury. But administratively, as a lawyer, it may cost him his license or he might face suspension if it is proven that he is lying. That's it.)

GMA Integrated News is trying to get a statement from Galicia.

On Thursday, Guo’s camp asked the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for a ten-day extension to file a counter-affidavit against a subpoena it issued.

In a three-page motion, David requested that the deadline be moved from August 23, Friday, to September 1.

Comelec, however, said its legal department will discuss further the request. —Sherylin Untalan/LDF, GMA Integrated News