MANILA, Philippines – Lawyer Elmer Galicia vowed to cooperate with authorities to prove the authenticity of his claim of having seen dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo just last August 14, said Caloocan City Prosecutor Darwin Cañete.
Cañete accompanied Galicia to the Department of Justice Tuesday to speak with investigators from the National Bureau of Investigation.
Galicia notarized Guo’s counter-affidavit seeking to dismiss her qualified human trafficking complaint which was then filed by her lawyers last Friday before the DOJ.
Many have cast doubts on Galicia’s claim after news of Guo’s exit from the country came out, a revelation made by Senator Risa Hontiveros and confirmed by the Bureau of Immigration and the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission.
Cañete spoke on behalf of Galicia who did not grant an interview.
“He committed to file a counter affidavit to cooperate so we will be waiting for him to put it in written form,” Cañete said.
As for the evidence Galicia will present, Cañete said it was all up to the lawyer.
“We will not be judging what evidence he needs to show; that’s up to him to volunteer any kind of information,”
“At this point, we just like to thank him for cooperating with us, to accepting our invitation to give light what happened and wait for him to document with whatever evidence he has to explain what actually happened,” he said.
Bulacan Provincial Prosecutor Sonny Ocampo, who likewise accompanied Galicia to the DOJ, said the latter has maintained his claim of having spoken with the former mayor who has been missing for months.
“It appears that on August 14, 2024 at around 7 o’clock p.m. noong dumating siya sa opisina, nandoon na ‘yung isang Land Cruiser; onboard si Ms. Alice Guo,” Ocampo said, referring to Galicia’s account.
“Nagkausap sila ni Alice Guo doon sa baba ng kanyang opisina nakita niya at nagbigay…nagprisinta ng driver’s license si Alice Guo sa kanya and then he notarized the country-affidavit that was due to be submitted to the DOJ for preliminary investigation,” he said.
Stephen David, Guo’s lawyer, said he believed Galicia’s statement was a powerful corroborating evidence that Guo was still in the country.
