MANILA, Philippines – Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian is confident that dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo will be returned to the country and her escape will provide nothing but a temporary solution for her because her pending legal battles will surely narrow down her world.
“This is again a temporary setback for the country. The cases should continue, even the Senate will file its own case against her on a perjury as well as disobedience. Her world will shrink. The long arm of the law will eventually get her,” he said in an interview on ANC’s “Headstart.”
On Monday, Sen. Risa Hontiveros revealed in a Senate plenary speech that the embattled former town chief had already exited the country on July 18 to Malaysia, proceeded to Singapore and is now reportedly in Indonesia. The Bureau of Immigration also seconded this and said their intelligence informed them that Guo had escaped the country possibly through illegal means.
This however does not curtail court processes and cases against the controversial former mayor shall be pursued even in her absence, said Gatchalian.
“As far as we know, we have extradition with Indonesia and most of the Asean countries, once convicted, she will be extradited back to the Philippines and tried and punished here,” he said.
Contrary to the perception that Guo’s safest hiding place is China, Gatchalian believes otherwise. In fact, it will only make things worse for her should she decide to make her way there, he said.
“China has one of the strictest laws when it comes to gambling, they just updated their law a few years ago to expand the coverage of gambling. By mere association with gambling you could be prosecuted,” he said.
“My theory is if she goes back to China she will be prosecuted there because she participated heavily in POGOs which is illegal in China,” he said.
