NBI: Sheila Guo is Chinese national Zhang Mier
Government agencies may have conspired in helping dismissed Bamban Mayor Alice Guo flee the country, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said, noting that the escape was successful despite an immigration lookout bulletin.
“We only knew about it (the escape) one month after it happened, but from what I heard, other agencies already knew about it,” Gatchalian said.
“The public should have been informed because the public is our ally here. I am becoming suspicious – why hide it from us? It’s as if they want to hide the problem and cover it up,” the senator added.
He said it also appeared the Bureau of Immigration withheld information that Guo’s sister, Sheila, and POGO associate Cassandra Li Ong, were already apprehended by Indonesian authorities on August 21.
Gatchalian said even President Marcos and Justice Secretary Jesus Remulla appeared to have been “kept in the dark.”
“Why did the Bureau of Immigration conceal this info? That should be investigated,” he said.
“The President aaid heads will roll – which means from top to bottom. Even Justice Secretary Remulla was also surprised about the arrest based on news reports,” Gatchalian said.
He said Bureau of Immigration commissioner Norman Tansingco will be invited to the Senate hearing on Tuesday.
“That will be our focus – Why did the President not know about the arrest? Why was the Senate informed late?”
BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval, for her part, said the dismissed mayor and her brother, Wesley Guo, are still in Indonesia.
“Former mayor Alice Guo has not yet made any attempts to move or transfer to another country,” Sandoval said.
Sandoval said Guo’s group possibly exited the Philippines through Sabah, Malaysia because based on official documents, they did not go through formal airports and seaports.
Senators are set to confront Sheila Guo and Ong when the Upper House resumes its hearing on illegal POGO operations on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024.
“We also want to know who helped them fund the POGO hubs… how extensive their operations… who are the money launderers since this is a transnational crime,” Gatchalian said.
As this developed, the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission identified the Singaporean national who helped Guo’s group book four rooms at the Harris Hotel Batam Center in Indonesia.
Indonesia’s Ministry of Law and Human Rights said the Singaporean citizen was alias “ZJ” – who PAOCC spokesman Winston Casio said was “Zhang Jie,” the former president of Lucky South 99 POGO hub that was raided in Porac, Pampanga.
“The one who paid for their hotel is also wanted here in the Philippines – Zhang Jie who is the former president of Lucky South 99,” Casio said.
The Department of Justice, Bureau of Immigration, and the National Bureau of Investigation will jointly file deportation and misrepresentation charges against Sheila Guo and Ong, DOJ spokesperson Mico Clavano said.
“We are taking the President’s directive very seriously. This is something that is of national significance. We understand how important this is to the country, the President, and the international community, so we should not be embarrassed by our investigation,” Clavano said.
“This is the first time that the Senate and the House [of Representatives] already have an order of arrest and we also have reason to take custody and charge them with several crimes,” he added.
