BI chief: Alice Guo reported to be in Jakarta

Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Norman Tansingco on Tuesday said dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo was reported to be in Jakarta, Indonesia as of August 26.

"Based on the latest report sa akin kagabi, si Alice Guo is in Jakarta (Based on the latest report submitted to me last night, Alice Guo is in Jakarta)," Tansingco told a Senate panel when asked about Guo's latest whereabouts.

"From Batam lumipat nga po si Alice to Jakarta, nasundan din po ng Indonesian Immigration. So we are continuously having a close coordination with them," he added.

Tansingco, when asked by Senator Risa Hontiveros to give assurance that the BI will bring back Guo to the Philippines, said that they are doing their best to do so as their request for the former mayor's deportation sent to their Indonesian counterparts still stands.

"Basing on the same letter that I sent to the Director General of Indonesian Immigration, the request for the deportation of Alice is still standing and continuous po ‘yung coordination ng Philippine Immigration and Indonesian Immigration and we would like to assume the committee that we are doing our best na maibalik siya as soon as possible," the BI chief said.

"I can’t give a timeline kasi ang lead po is Indonesian Immigration at saka wala tayong jurisdiction doon sa kanila. We’re just coordinating and binibigyan lang natin sila kung anong kailangan nila — kung anong papel, requests, we readily provide them the needed information," he added.

(I cannot provide a timeline because the lead agency is Indonesian Immigration, and we don't have jurisdiction over them. We're simply coordinating with them and providing the necessary documents and information they require.)

Meanwhile, Tansingco said that Guo's supposed brother, Wesley Guo, departed from Batam, Indonesia on August 20 via ferry then flew to Hong Kong.

"Sumulat na rin po tayo sa Hong Kong immigration requesting for the confirmation of arrival ni Wesley sa Hong Kong but we already have the confirmation na umalis siya ng Singapore. We’re still waiting for confirmation of his arrival in Hong Kong," he added.

(We have already submitted a request to Hong Kong immigration to confirm Wesley's arrival in Hong Kong, but we have already received confirmation that he has left Singapore. We are still waiting for confirmation of his arrival in Hong Kong.)

At the early part of the Senate hearing, Alice Guo's supposed sister, Shiela Guo confirmed that they left the Philippines via several boats.

They went to Malaysia, flew to Singapore, then Indonesia.

According to Shiela Guo, she parted ways with Alice Guo in Indonesia.

If verified, the information would suggest that Guo is on the move again.

The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Council (PAOCC) expressed belief Monday that based on its discussion with Indonesian counterparts, Guo was still in Batam City in Indonesia.

Over the weekend, PAOCC spokesperson Winston Casio said Guo appeared to be trying to get into Southeast Asia's Golden Triangle region.

The Golden Triangle region in mainland Southeast Asia is located on the intersecting borders of Mekong River countries Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar.

Casio noted that the Guo family has business and gambling interests in Cambodia, which "would be the safest bet" for the dismissed mayor's final destination.

While Cambodia is not part of the Golden Triangle region, the country still shares borders with Mekong nations Thailand to the northwest and Laos to its north. Cambodia also has a coastline along the Gulf of Thailand.

Indonesian authorities in Batam arrested the dismissed mayor's sister, Shiela Guo, and Cassandra Li Ong, the authorized representative of the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) that was raided in Porac, Pampanga for alleged illegal activities. Alice Guo is facing charges in connection with a raided POGO hub in Bamban.

Also during the Senate justice and human rights subcommittee's inquiry into the former mayor's alleged escape, Shiela Guo admitted that she, Alice, and their brother Wesley, left the Philippines by riding several boats.

"Sakay po kami ng boat (We boarded a boat)," Guo told the Senate subcommittee.

According to Shiela, the three of them were fetched by a van from their farm in Tarlac and traveled southbound from dinner time to midnight.

From a location that Shiela said she does not know, the Guo siblings rode a small white boat that could carry around 10 people.

They then transferred to a bigger boat which Shiela said can accommodate many people. The second ship, she said, appeared to be a fishing ship because there were nets on it.

The three then transferred to a smaller boat which brought them to Malaysia, according to Shiela.

The PAOCC said it was exerting efforts so that a blue notice from the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) would be issued on Guo, which would allow for heightened surveillance on the dismissed mayor. — VDV/RF, GMA Integrated News