Abalos: Alice Guo said death threats reason she left PH

Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos said dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo fled the country because she feared for her life.

At a press conference following their arrival from Indonesia early Friday morning, Abalos said "sabi ni Alice natatakot sya sa buhay nya kaya sya umalis sa bansa."

"Sabi natin sabihin mo lahat at poproteksyunan ka ng police…important malaman natin ang
totoo," he added.

Guo, in the same press conference, confirmed the statement of Abalos.

"Kinoconfirm ko po ang lahat ng sinabi ni Sec. at humingi ako ng tulong sa kanila at masaya
ako na nakita ko sila and I feel safe po," said Guo.

Earlier, in a video posted on Abalos' Facebook of his meeting with Guo in Jakarta on Thursday afternoon, Guo was heard saying, "Sec, patulong. May death threat po kasi ako."

(Sec, help me. There's a death threat against me.)

Abalos' entire reply was no longer heard but there was a portion in which he said, "Kaya nga kami kumuha ng private plane..." 

(That's why we took a private plane.)

Abalos and Philippine National Police chief General Rommel Marbil went to Indonesia for the custody turnover of Guo.

Abalos said it was already inside the plane that Guo was read the charges against her before the Tarlac court. The warrant was issued late Thursday afternoon.

He said the basis of Guo's arrest in Indonesia was the arrest order from the Senate.

However, with the warrant of arrest, Guo will spend time in Camp Crame before she will be brought to Tarlac on Friday morning.

If she posts bail, then the Senate is expected to take her into custody due to an earlier contempt citation for failing to attend hearings. 

Abalos said Philippine authorities went to Indonesia without certainty of bringing Guo back to the country.

He said it was made possible through a memorandum of understanding between the Philippine and Indonesian police.

Abalos said they had to bring home Guo before 1 a.m. because Indonesian laws require a charge to be filed in 24 hours, otherwise, the detainee must be released.

He said the private plane that brought Guo home was owned by a friend. He said the government didn't have to spend for the use of the plane.

Surrender

For his part, Atty. Stephen David, Guo’s legal counsel, said the death threats were also the reason why Guo did not surrender to authorities when she was still in the country.

“Actually, kaya nga hindi siya ma sold out sa kanyang pag-surrender noon. Sabi ko nga, lagi namin pinag-uusapan ‘yan, ‘yung pag-surrender niya. Kaya lang ‘yung hindrance kasi ‘yun nga, ‘yung mga death threats,” he said.

(Actually, that's why she wasn't sold on her surrender back then. As I said, we often discussed it, her surrender. However, the hindrance was the death threats she received.)

Guo disappeared from public eye after attending Senate hearings in May into her alleged involvement in the raided POGO hub in her locality. This prompted the Senate to issue an arrest order against her.

Guo left the country in July despite her name being on the immigration lookout bulletin.

Guo arrived in the Philippines a few minutes after 1 a.m. on Friday aboard a private plane at the NAIA in Pasay City.

She is facing a human trafficking complaint before the Department of Justice.

The Bureau of Immigration, in a statement, said Guo is also facing charges of undesirability and misrepresentation under Philippine immigration laws. — with Joahna Lei Casilao/BAP/RSJ/KBK, GMA Integrated News