Dismissed Mayor Alice Guo, her “sister” Shiela, and several other respondents could face up to 1,218 years in prison in connection to an 87-count money laundering case, according to the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC). Each count carries a sentence of seven to 14 years.
During a Senate Subcommittee on Justice and Human Rights hearing, Shiela maintained her version of events about how they fled the country. She claimed that she, Alice, and Alice’s brother Wesley traveled from their farm in Bamban, Tarlac to an undisclosed pier, passing through the Balintawak tollgate and Skyway, ultimately heading south toward Batangas. From there, she said they took vessels to reach Sabah, Malaysia.
However, Senator Risa Hontiveros pointed out inconsistencies in Shiela’s testimony, revealing that their first destination in Malaysia appeared to be Kuala Lumpur, not Sabah. “May tatak passport mo, you entered Sabah. Ang problema, di nagma-match ang stamp sa totoong dapat na stamp kung Sabah talaga ang baba niyo,” Hontiveros said, further questioning if they first traveled to Bali, Indonesia.
Despite Shiela’s insistence, senators expressed frustration. “Klarong-klaro, Shiela. Klarong-klaro na may tinatago ka,” said Senator Joel Villanueva. “Gusto ka naming tulungan kung magsasabi ka ng totoo.”
Shiela’s reluctance to fully cooperate has only intensified calls for her to disclose the truth, as the case continues to develop.