Lawyer admits Alice Guo did not personally swear her counter-affidavit

A lawyer admitted Tuesday that dismissed Bamban mayor Alice Guo did not personally swear before him her counter-affidavit on the human trafficking complaint filed against her by the Department of Justice.

During the hearing of the Senate subcommittee on justice and human rights, Senator Risa Hontiveros flagged Atty. Elmer Galicia for notarizing Guo’s counter-affidavit even though she did not personally swear it before him at his office in San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan.

The document was notarized on August 14 when Guo was already out of the country. It was Hontiveros who divulged that the dismissed mayor left the Philippines in July.

Galicia said that a certain Allan, a member of his religious organization whose last name he does not know, helped Guo in the transaction.

He said Allan just went up to him and said, "Magpapanotaryo si mayor (Mayor wants something to be notarized)."

He said he asked for an identification card and a driver's license was presented to him.

"Kung meron man pong pagkakamali on my part na ma-identify na si Alice Guo, hindi ko alam kung siya o hindi, basta nagpakita ng ID, hindi ko alam kung siya talaga 'yun o hindi...Sa ngayon hindi ko na masabi kung siya talaga ang nakita po pero hawig po." he said.

(There may be a lapse on my part in not identifying Alice Guo, I'm not sure if it was her or not. She just presented an ID. Right now, I cannot say if it was really her but she looked like Alice Guo.)

He added the walk-in client said her name was Alice when he asked. 

"Tinanong ko po kasi siya eh, Mayor Alice Guo? Sabi niya sa akin, Alice na lang po. 'Yung po ang sabi niya sa akin (I asked,Mayor Alice Guo? She told me, 'Just Alice.' That what she told me)," Galicia said.

He said he was initially surprised that a mayor would seek his services because high-profile clients do not usually go to his office.

He added he did not order the supposed Alice Guo to alight from her vehicle and go inside his office.

“Si Alan po ang nagbigay sa akin (Alan gave them to me),” Galicia said when asked if Guo personally handed to him the documents that she wanted notarized.

Hontiveros questioned how Guo could have sworn before him if she remained in the car. 

Galicia answered, “Hindi na po siya nanumpa sa akin (she did not swear it before me).”

A visibly shocked Hontiveros reprimanded Galicia, stressing that she and the other senators still need to personally swear if they need something notarized.

Galicia said that it was Alan who handed him the documents and took it after it was notarized. He said he did not know what happened after that.

“Hindi na po ako bumaba kasi may mga ginawa na po ako sa office ko. Hindi ko na po alam kung anong nangyari,” he said. 

(I no longer went down because I am busy with something. I don’t know what happened after that.)

Senator Joel Villanueva stressed that the document stated that it was “subscribed and sworn” before Galicia.

“Tapos binanggit po ng ating resource person na hindi po nanumpa sa kanya. Just for the record,” he said.

(Our resource person mentioned that Guo did not swear before him. Just for the record.)

Both Hontiveros and Senator Sherwin Gatchalian noted that Galicia also did not ask Guo to sign the notarial book, which she said is required.

“Ang alam ko po talaga sa form na sinasubmit ko sa notarial section, wala naman po doon portion na kailangan papirmahin po ‘yung nagpapanotaryo,” Galicia said.

(As far as I know, the form that I submit to the notarial section does not state that the notary client need to sign.)

Galicia said he was not aware that Guo is subject of an arrest order issued by the Senate as he was not monitoring the congressional hearings.

Meanwhile, Hontiveros asked Galicia to provide Alan’s last name as well as their religious organization. She stressed that it was only a matter of fact.

Galicia earlier declined to divulge the name of his organization.

Meanwhile, Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa questioned if it was the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC), which was headed by Pastor Apollo Quiboloy.

“Hindi po,” Galicia said.

For his part, Villanueva clarified that Galicia's religion had no effect on the proceedings—AOL, GMA Integrated News