Hontiveros: I don’t believe no Filipino, gov't official helped Alice Guo flee PH

Senator Risa Hontiveros on Tuesday said she doesn’t believe that there was no Filipino or Philippine government official who helped dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo to escape the Philippines in July.

Hontiveros, the chairperson of the Senate committee that conducts the investigation into the illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs), made the remark after Guo, on Monday’s hearing, said that no Filipino government official aided her in her escape.

According to the former mayor, the person who facilitated their escape was not with them when they were leaving the Philippines. Only an Asian woman accompanied them.

“Hindi [ako naniniwala]. Kasi imposibleng ‘yung solong babaeng dayuhan daw na tumulong sa kanila ay ‘yun lang ang nag-disenyo at nag-gawa ng pagtakas nila,” Hontiveros said in an Unang Balita interview.

(I don’t believe it because it’s impossible that only the foreign woman who helped them was the only person who planned their escape.)

During the hearing, Guo initially refused to divulge the identity of the person who facilitated her escape, but she was pressed on by the senators to write the name of the said person on a paper. Guo requested the senators not to divulge the name of the person to the public as she expressed concern for her own safety.

According to Guo, the person who facilitated her escape "initiated" the move after an apparent confrontation.

Atty. Stephen David, Guo’s legal counsel, said that the former mayor told her about this person, but couldn’t disclose the name out of attorney-client privilege.

“Wala [posisyon sa gobyerno], diba sabi niya dayuhan,” he said in a separate interview.

(The person holds no government position. Alice Guo said s/he is a foreigner.)

Meanwhile, Hontiveros said she looks forward to hearing more from Guo in the next hearings to come to know who really aided her when she flew the country.

“Kaya sa closing remarks ko sa hearing bago mag-suspinde, sabi ko, ‘yung ahensya lang ba na ‘yun, ‘yung BI lang ba ang sangkot? At sino sino particularly sa loob ng bureau? Kaya patuloy din ‘yung internal investigation ng lahat ng mga ahensyang nagi-imbestiga and unfortunately iniimbestiga rin,” she added.

(In my closing remarks before the hearing suspended, I asked if it’s only the BI involved? And who particularly in the bureau was involved? That's why the internal investigation of all the involved agencies, as well as those also being investigated, are ongoing.)

Two more senators are not convinced there were no government officials who helped Guo flee the country.

"I do not believe Alice’s assertion that no other Filipino helped her for I am of the belief that there were other personalities, possibly officials in [government] other than the BI, who helped her," Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero said in a text message.

Even though Guo claimed that there were no Filipinos who helped her escape the country, Escudero said foreigners who were supposedly involved in this should likewise be held accountable.

"Non-Filipino actors who helped her escape should also be held to account including the ones she mentioned. That they are allegedly 'not here' should  not stop us from trying to get them, especially Alice’s financiers and bosses," Escudero said.

Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada and Senator Joel Villanueva said that the person who helped Guo in fleeing the country has a Chinese name.

Estrada, citing information he received, said the person is the "boss of all the bosses of POGO."

He left it to Senator Risa Hontiveros to reveal the name of the person.

Hontiveros is the chairperson of the Senate panels that is investigating Guo's alleged ties to POGOs and her escape from the country.

In a press conference, Estrada said he is convinced that there is a Filipino who aided Guo's escape.

"Hindi ako naniniwala. Meron. Siguradong sigurado merong mga Pilipino na tumulong sa pagtakas ni Alice Guo. Impossible na walang Pilipinong tumulong and worse, might also be a government employee or a government official," Estrada said.

"Ibig mong sabihin, lahat ng mga Intsik eh sila sila maggagawa ng pagtakas dito. Impossible naman yon na walang clearance galing sa [BI], galing sa Coast Guard, galing sa Philippine National Police. Impossible!" he added.

(I don't believe her. There is. I am very sure there are Filipinos who helped Alice Guo escape. Impossible there were no Filipinos who helped.

Do you mean, all of the Chinese among themselves orchestrated the escape from here. It's impossible there was no clearance from the Bureau of Immigration, from the Coast Guard, from the Philippine National Police. Impossible!)

He then called on the Department of Justice to investigate who really is behind Guo's escape.

According to Guo, she, together with her supposed siblings--Shiela and Wesley, left the country via three boat rides, starting from a yacht ride from a port in Metro Manila sometime in July.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Monday said President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has agreed to relieve Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco from his post.

Last week, Remulla said he was no longer in communication with Tansingco after the Immigration chief did not immediately inform the Department of Justice about the departure from the country of dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo.

Tansingco admitted that he learned of Guo’s departure on August 15. However, he said they still had to validate the information. He said he only reported the incident to Remulla and the Office of the Executive Secretary on August 20. — RSJ/RF, GMA Integrated News