'Mary Ann Maslog' says police asked her to bring in Alice Guo, cited in contempt

The woman, whom the National Bureau of Investigation said was the same person implicated in a P24-million textbook procurement scam in 1998, on Tuesday told a Senate inquiry how police asked her help to make Alice Guo turn herself in.

Jessica Francisco or "Mary Ann Maslog," as the senators addressed her, said she was sought by the police to talk Guo into surrendering.

Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa, however, moved to cite her in contempt after her claim was denied by the police general with whom she talked. His motion was approved by the Senate Committee on Women chaired by Senator Risa Hontiveros.

Dela Rosa at one time during the hearing also told Francisco about the information he had that she was told "by someone in Malacañang to link him, former President Rodrigo Duterte, and Senator Christopher "Bong" Go to Guo.

The NBI on September 25 arrested Francisco, saying it established through fingerprints that she was Maslog, whose case was dismissed by the Sandiganbayan after the court was told of her death in 2019.

Francisco's camp, however, denied that she was Maslog.

Asked during the hearing if she was, Francisco invoked her right against self-incrimination.

On Guo, Francisco said that she was tapped by General Romeo Macapaz of the Philippine National Police Intelligence Group (PNP-IG) to talk with the dismissed mayor of Bamban, Tarlac.

Asked by Dela Rosa if Macapaz called her to help make Guo surrender, Francisco said, "Yes sir. I don’t know how to explain it. It’s like I said. They are aware of my friendship with the mayor."

She said she was friends with Sual, Pangasinan Mayor Liseldo Calugay, who was said to have had a relationship with Guo.

Calugay ties

Francisco said she asked Calugay if he had a way to contact Guo, prompting senators to ask her why she thought she could find Guo through Calugay.

Francisco said she was informed that Calugay and Guo “had a relationship.”

"Ang pagkakaalam ko po, naging mag-on po sila. That’s it,” she said.

(My understanding was that they were a couple. That's it.)

She said Calugay, meanwhile, told her that he did not want to be involved and that he had no way of contacting Guo.

Both Calugay and Guo have both denied having business and romantic relationships with each other. 

Guo’s legal counsel Atty. Stephen David said Francisco also approached him and claimed that she was with the “top brass of the PNP.” 

“They came to me and they wanted to negotiate with the surrender of Alice,” he said.

“I trusted her because she was with top PNP brass,” he added.

For his part, Macapaz denied approaching Maslog. He said that it was Maslog who volunteered, saying she had a line to David.

“That time hinahabol natin si Alice Guo so wala kami— naka blank all kami. Nung sinabi niyang ‘yung abugado ay may contact siya, we were hoping ay may direct contact na siya doon na sinasabi na si Alice ay willing to surrender,” Macapaz said. 

(At that time, we were chasing Alice Guo. When she said she had a line to the lawyer, we hoped she had a direct connection to the person claiming that Alice was willing to surrender.)

Jail visit

Francisco admitted to visiting Guo twice while she was in jail.

Macapaz said Francisco told him that Guo would reveal important information.

“May mga involved pa na malalaking tao, sabi niya,” Macapaz said.

(She said there are big personalities involved.)     

Francisco was later questioned by senators to reveal what Guo said.  

“Isa lang po ‘yan sa mga names po. And your honor, I’m sorry po, I don’t think I have the right po kasi hindi po ako sure,” Francisco said.

(That’s only one of the names. And your honor, I’m sorry po, I don’t think I have the right because I’m not sure.)

Francisco wrote the word Faeldon and prompted Dela Rosa to say that she was being used to link Duterte, Go, and himself to the dismissed mayor, facing trafficking charges.

She did not elaborate but Duterte during his administration appointed former officer Nicanor Faeldon to lead the Bureau of Customs.

Malacañang

“Meron akong impormasyon na you are being used para papirmahin si Alice Guo ng affidavit. Affidavit na mag tuturo na si President Duterte, si Senator Bong Go, si Senator Bato… si General Caramat, ay nasa likod ng POGO,” Dela Rosa said.

(I have information that you are being used to get Alice Guo to sign an affidavit. The affidavit will supposedly link President Duterte, Senator Bong Go, Senator Bato, and General Caramat as responsible for POGOs.)

“Merong tao from Malacañang nag uutos sayo. Meron ako information. I can pin you down, my God,” he added.

(There’s someone from Malacañang who is ordering you. I have the information. I can pin you down, my God.)

Francisco, for her part, denied Dela Rosa's allegations.

GMA News Online has sought comment from Malacañang but has yet to receive a response as of posting time. —NB, GMA Integrated News