The Bureau of Immigration (BI) reported on Thursday that former Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo is likely still in Indonesia, while her sister, Shiela Guo, faces deportation and misrepresentation charges.
Shiela Guo and Cassandra Li Ong, linked to the Lucky South 99 POGO in Porac, Pampanga, were deported to the Philippines from Indonesia on Thursday. However, former Mayor Guo was not with them when they were apprehended by Indonesian authorities.
“Regarding the movement of Alice Guo, our last information is that she is still in Indonesia with no attempts to leave the country,” BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval said in an ABS-CBN News report.
The BI also discovered that Shiela Guo holds a valid Chinese passport, prompting further legal action. “We have charged Shiela Leal Guo with deportation as she is considered an undesirable alien, and we have also charged her for misrepresentation as she presented herself as a Filipino despite holding a Chinese passport,” Sandoval explained.
Meanwhile, House Committee on Public Order and Safety Chairperson Rep. Dan Fernandez expressed concern over the possibility of a more powerful figure behind Alice Guo and Ong, stressing the need for Ong to testify before the House quad committee investigating illegal activities related to POGOs and dangerous drugs.
“There must be somebody bigger behind her that we need to uncover because of the criminal intent and elements involved in the POGO operations in Porac,” Fernandez remarked.
The Senate is not expected to take custody of Shiela Guo and Ong until Tuesday, according to Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, who noted that three Senate panels would launch a probe into ex-Mayor Guo’s alleged escape from the country. Gatchalian added that the upcoming hearing would likely focus on Shiela’s involvement in funding the Bamban POGO hub.
Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos called for an investigation into private hangars and ports, suspecting they might have played a role in ex-Mayor Guo’s illegal exit from the Philippines, as authorities remain unclear on how she evaded the Immigration Lookout Bulletin Order.
“It could be in aid of legislation. What protocols do we have in place? How fast are these implemented? Who is informed on the ground?” Abalos questioned, emphasizing the need to examine the use of private planes and ship ports in the alleged escape.
The BI’s investigation confirmed that Shiela Guo exited the Philippines illegally, as her passport lacked any immigration stamps. “It is possible they reached Sabah through illegal means, bypassing formal airports or seaports,” Sandoval added.