GUO’S DETENTION. Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla (left) and Undersecretary Raul Vasquez answer questions during the Kapihan sa DOJ on Wednesday (Sept. 11, 2024). Remulla said dismissed Bamban mayor Alice Guo should be detained by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) as an immigration case takes precedence over everything. (PNA photo by Ben Pulta)
MANILA – Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Wednesday said dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo should be placed under the custody of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) once all pending cases against her have been resolved.
"To be fair, actually, kung meron talaga dapat magde-detain kay (if there’s an agency that will detain) Alice Guo, it should be the Bureau of Immigration. Kasi (Because) an immigration case takes precedence over everything, kung tutuusin natin (if we consider it)," Remulla said in a press briefing.
“In fact, an immigration case is non-bailable. Basta ganyan ang kaso, walang bail yan. Kaya nga ang tingin ko, when everything clears up already, it will have to be with immigration and immigration will just have to seek our permission to bring her to court anytime (An immigration case is non bailable so I think when everything clears up already it will have to be with immigration and immigration will just have to seek our permission to bring her to court anytime)," he explained.
Guo’s cases include alleged representing herself as a Filipino citizen in obtaining her Philippine passport.
Aside from the immigration case, a case for qualified trafficking against Guo is also up for resolution by the panel of prosecutors handling the investigation.
This came after rejected Guo's motion to reopen the probe on the case was rejected by prosecutors, who discovered that she did not in fact appear before the notarizing officer.
Wary of Tarlac court case
Remulla also expressed concerns over Guo's perceived influence in Tarlac province following the filing of graft case before the Tarlac Regional Trial Court instead of the Office of the Ombudsman.
"It's common sense to think that she would be more influential in that area, which has been in her sphere of influence, because she's the mayor of a town in the province where she's being taken as a detainee. Kaya may discomfort kaagad ako nung simula pa lang tungkol sa bagay na 'to (That is why I was immediately uncomfortable in connection with that)," Remulla said.
Authorities found no less than PHP7 billion in assets from a web of corporations operating under Guo's guidance.
Remulla reiterated that they have brought the matter to the Ombudsman and may likewise seek guidance from the anti-graft body.
National security implications
Remulla said there are also national security implications in Guo’s case.
"Kaya nga ang sinasabi ko rin talaga, sa simula pa lang sinasabi ko rin talaga sa mga discussions namin na may national security implication talaga ang problema ng fake passports at mga aliens who get hold of Filipino identity documents, kasi nga, this is very possible, na may espionage act ito (I have been saying from the start, during discussions, that there may be national security implications in the problem of fake passports and aliens who get hold of Filipino identity documents because this is very possible, that these may be acts of espionage). But we cannot conclude anything right now unless we contribute a full-blown investigation," he said.
"It's not to say that the NICA (National Intelligence Coordinating Agency) or the NSA (National Security Agency) are not investigating right now. Of course, they are conducting their own investigation, so, that’s very possible," he added.
Remulla made the comment when asked for similarities between Guo and the case of Linda Sun, a 41-year-old naturalized American of foreign descent facing charges before US courts.
Sun and her husband, Chris Hu, a co-defendant in the cases have pleaded not guilty to acting in behalf of the Chinese government while she was deputy chief of staff for New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and an aide to Hochul's predecessor, Andrew Cuomo.
Surrender feeler
Meanwhile, Justice Undersecretary Raul Vasquez discounted reports that Guo's supposed brother Wesley plans to surrender and cooperate with the probe by Philippine authorities.
"It's still an ongoing matter, and until such time that we have the details of such feeler and there are positive actions that would indicate the intent and spontaneity of such a surrender, then that's the time we would have to say na totoo yan (that it’s true). Sa ngayon, part of the process of the investigation pa lang yan kasi. Gaya ng nangyari, this will be a deflection again, baka nililihis tayo sa tamang landas (Right now, we are still in the process of the investigation. Like what happened before, this will be again deflection, we are just being deflected from the right direction)," Vasquez said. (PNA)
