Senator Sherwin Gatchalian revealed on Friday that several government agencies might have conspired to conceal the escape of former mayor Alice Guo, despite her being on an immigration lookout bulletin.
During an online press conference, Gatchalian expressed his suspicion about the delay in informing the public. “We only knew about it one month after it happened, but I heard that other agencies already knew about it,” he said, questioning the apparent cover-up. “The public should have been informed because the public is our ally here. I’m getting suspicious because why hide it from us and the public?”
Gatchalian’s concerns come after Guo, who was under investigation for her alleged involvement in illegal POGO activities and had been dismissed from her position by the Office of the Ombudsman for grave misconduct, managed to leave the country. The Bureau of Immigration confirmed that Guo is currently in Indonesia.
The senator also criticized law enforcement agencies, stating that Guo’s escape reflects poorly on their ability to monitor high-profile suspects. “To date, it is a mystery how she was able to leave. That alone is a big blunder on the part of enforcement agencies,” Gatchalian said. He further questioned the use of intelligence funds, expressing disappointment that Guo’s escape remains unexplained.
“This does not boost confidence because there are a lot of others who are yet to be located. What happened to our billions of intelligence funds? It’s disheartening that, until now, we do not know how she managed to escape,” Gatchalian added.
As investigations continue, the Senate is expected to scrutinize the situation further, especially during the upcoming budget deliberations.