Dismisses Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo (PNA file photo
MANILA – Dismissed Mayor Alice Guo of Bamban town, Tarlac province will still be prosecuted if she chooses to travel back to China, a senator said on Tuesday.
In an interview with ANC, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian noted that China has one of the tightest laws against gambling, especially on Philippine Offshore and Gaming Operations (POGOs) which Guo has allegedly helped establish in her town.
"In fact, they have just updated their law a few years ago to expand the coverage of gambling. By mere investing or association with gambling, you can be prosecuted," Gatchalian said.
"My theory is if she goes back to China, she will be prosecuted there because she participated heavily on POGOs which is illegal in China," he added.
Meanwhile, Gatchalian said they are still verifying the report that Guo is already out of the country because his office also received an information that Guo filed her counter affidavit to the human trafficking case against her and went personally to a notary public on Aug. 14.
"The notary public told us and claimed that Alice Guo went to his office personally to request for that notarization. Apparently on August 14, based on the testament of the notary public, Alice Guo is still here in the country," he said.
For Gatchalian, the recent reports are just "a temporary setback" and the cases filed against Guo will still continue to move forward.
"Even the Senate will file our own case against her on perjury as well as disobedience. So, her world will shrink and the long arm of the law will eventually get her," the senator said.
Once convicted, Gatchalian said Guo will eventually be extradited back to the Philippines if ever she chooses to hide in Southeast Asian countries like Indonesia or Malaysia.
Meanwhile, Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros urged the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to cancel Guo’s Philippine passport.
“Canceling her passport will limit her travels. Mas madali siya matutuntun kapag hindi siya gala nang gala (She will be easier to find if her travels are limited). And besides, she does not have the right to use a Philippine passport in the first place,” Hontiveros said in a news release.
She also urged concerned government agencies to strengthen inter-agency coordination to prevent fugitives from leaving the country.
“Dapat nung nakumpirma na pineke ang kanyang pagka-Pilipino, kinansela na agad ang pasaporte niya. Sana naisagawa na ito ng ating mga ahensya (When it was confirmed that her Filipino citizenship was faked, her passport should have been canceled immediately. Our agencies should have done this already)," Hontiveros said. (PNA)
