Immigration Intelligence Division Chief Fortunato Manahan. Screen grab from Senate hearing 

MANILA, Philippines – Over seven months after ex-Bamban town Mayor Alice Guo and siblings’ mysterious escape, the Bureau of Immigration remains clueless how her undetected exit happened. 

Guo is the central character in the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) mess that shook the country in 2024. The controversy involved exposure of the web and depth of the criminal network involved in the industry and its deep connection to the Philippine government. 

In the course of the Senate investigation last year, Guo’s identity was questioned leading to the discovery of her being a Chinese national named Guo Hua Ping. This, in turn, further led to the discovery of the modus of issuing fake Filipino birth certificates to foreign nationals among many other illegalities.

After a series of non-appearances to Senate hearings, Guo’s absence led frustrated senators to conclude that she might have already fled the country. But the BI, the Department of Justice as well as her legal team assured that the then suspended mayor was still in the country since no records showed she left. 

However, Sen. Risa Hontiveros, who chairs the committee on women, children and family relations and gender equality that held hearings on Guo’s connection to POGOs, revealed that she had already escaped to Malaysia on July 18. 

On Tuesday’s (March 4) hearing of the committee on justice, the BI still could not answer how she left, the port she used and how she left undetected. 

BI’s Intelligence Division Chief Fortunato Manahan said the agency has reached out to its foreign counterparts inquiring about information on the Guos but they have not received any reply until today. 

This led an exasperated Hontiveros to question the BI if it was okay for them to be content with just not receiving replies from counterparts. 

“Kasi kung titigil lang tayo sa ganitong status. We’re inutil as a country. Apat na buwan na po and we still don’t know how fugitives got past our borders undetected?” a frustrated Hontiveros said. 

Hontiveros asked the BI to put on record if indeed, the Guos’ escape still remains unanswered. This was answered by Manahan with “yes.” 

Furthermore, the BI is also uncertain of the border used by the Guos to escape. 

“Ma’am we will submit a compliance report to your office madam chair but I’m sorry but as of this time, we don’t have any information kung saang ports or subports sila Guo siblings madam chair,” Manahan said. 

No info on accountable BI officials yet too 

Hontiveros even got more frustrated when the BI admitted that apart from the Guo escape mystery, they also still have no information as to agency officials possibly in connivance with the Guos.

“Ma’am we will check if there’s any from the Office of the Commissioner,” Manahan said. 

Manahan explained that the agency’s Board of Discipline is the office handling personnel matters but Hontiveros stressed that being the head of intelligence, such information should not be out of his knowledge. 

“So we don’t know anything? More than four months later?” Hontiveros asked. 

Guo along with her purported siblings fled the country last July. Sheila, the first one to be arrested, said they escaped on board a series of boat rides but her account was marred with inconsistencies. 

Guo is now facing a mesh of legal mesh which includes charges of human tracking, money laundering, tax evasion, graft, material misrepresentation, tax violation and falsification and anti-dummy raps.

She is now detained at the women’s correctional in Mandaluyong City. 

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