Topacio: Abalos' borrowing of plane to fetch Alice Guo possibly violates anti-graft law

The lawyer of an alleged associate of dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo on Saturday said the use of a private plane by Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos to fetch her in Indonesia was a possible violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

Ferdinand Topacio, who serves as legal counsel of Cassandra Li Ong, noted that Abalos himself said that the government spent nothing for the use of the aircraft.

"Therefore, it is a donation by reason of his office, and maybe violative of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act," Topacio said at the media forum in Quezon City.

Topacio's client, Ong, is the authorized representative of the raided Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) firm in Porac, Pampanga. Authorities have been investigating links between the POGOs in Porac and Bamban. Ong is the girlfriend of Wesley Guo, Alice's supposed brother.

Topacio argued that an individual could not simply "offer" or "provide" his or her personal property to a public official, citing the presumption of law that it was given "by reason of his office" and "in anticipation of future favors."

"We live in very alarming times na parang hindi na po nasusunod ang batas. Can you imagine, ipagmamayabang pa ng secretary of the interior, 'walang gastos ang eroplanong 'yan, hiniram ko 'yan!' Saang universe na mayroong batas at Saligang Batas na legal 'yung public official ka, manghihiram ka?" Topacio asked.

(We live in very alarming times as if the law is no longer being followed. Can you imagine, the secretary of the interior is bragging, "the use that plane costs nothing, I borrowed it!" In which universe is there a law and a Constitution that it is legal for a public official to borrow a private possession?)

GMA News Online has requested comment from Abalos regarding the matter, but he has yet to respond as of posting time.

Abalos previously said transportation via private plane was needed to meet the 24-hour window to get Guo out of Indonesia.

''May kaibigan akong nagpahiram ng eroplano para lang magawa ito sa mas madaling paraan. Kasi hahabulin natin 'yung ala unang sinasabi at inuulit ko ni singko wala hong ginastos ang pamahalaan dito,'' Abalos said.

(My friend lent us the plane so we could transport her as quickly as possible since we had to beat the 1 a.m. deadline. And I repeat, the government did not pay anything for this.)

In a video posted on his Facebook account of his meeting with Guo in Jakarta on Thursday afternoon, Abalos was heard mentioning the private plane after Guo spoke about receiving death threats.

Guo, who faces complaints of human trafficking, undesirability and misrepresentation under Philippine immigration laws, returned to the Philippines on Friday aboard a private plane at the NAIA in Pasay City.

She was accompanied by Abalos and Philippine National Police chief General Rommel Marbil, who went to Indonesia for her custody turnover.

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.

She left the country in July despite her name being on the immigration lookout bulletin. — VDV, GMA Integrated News