DOJ chief vows heads will roll in Alice Guo escape

MANILA – The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Tuesday issued a stern warning against Bureau of Immigration (BI) officials who may have a hand in the escape of former Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo.

In a statement, DOJ Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said all government officials who backed or participated in the illegal exit of Guo will be held accountable.

"As civil servants, we have sworn to the country our unwavering integrity, transparency and accountability in all our actions and decisions. Hence, I am issuing this final warning against erring BI personnel who may have had a participation in the escape of Guo despite strict restrictions imposed by our government. It's either you come out and unveil the truth or wait until I personally get to the bottom of this where heads will roll and all hell will break loose," Remulla said.

He also ordered BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco to come up with a report immediately.

The BI earlier assured the public that the names "Alice Guo and Guo Hua Ping" were both included in the Immigration Lookout Bulletin Order (ILBO).

Despite the existing ILBO, the BI confirmed on Monday that Guo has managed to slip out of the country en route to Malaysia in July, then allegedly flew to Singapore with her siblings, Sheila and Wesley.

Remulla said the DOJ will also look into the possibility that the camp or legal counsels of Guo abetted her departure.

"Let me reiterate that as much as lawyers have an obligation to protect the interests of their clients, they also have a broader responsibility to uphold the Rule of Law and safeguard public interest," he said.

The BI, meanwhile, said it is working with its foreign counterparts in tracking the movements of the dismissed mayor.

"We are continuously monitoring her movements out of the country to see where she is travelling to. Thankfully, we have close coordination with our counterparts so if there are movements and activities of persons of interests, we get information about it," BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval said in a radio interview.

Sandoval also said Guo's travel documents must be canceled for her to be declared an undesirable alien, which can result in her deportation to her country of origin by the arresting nation.

She said the BI is also checking Guo's departure point.

"Hindi pa malinaw saan actual na ginamit nya na informal port dito sa bansa. Yun ang backtracking natin (It is not yet clear what informal port did she use in leaving the country. This is the subject of our backtracking). Pero ang last sighting niya (But her last sighting) is somewhere up north of the Philippines," Sandoval added. (PNA)