MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday announced a “full-scale” investigation to uncover the individuals responsible for allowing the departure of dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo.
In a statement, Marcos said Guo’s escape “laid bare the corruption that undermines our justice system and erodes public trust.”
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“Heads will roll...There is no room in this government for anyone who places personal interest above serving the Filipino people with honor, integrity and justice,” the president said.
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— Bongbong Marcos (@bongbongmarcos) August 20, 2024
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We will ???????????????????????? the culprits who have betrayed the people's trust and aided in her… pic.twitter.com/70KiZX5Zre
On Monday, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin directed the Department of Justice and the Department of Foreign Affairs to take “appropriate action” to cancel Guo’s passport.
The dismissed mayor reportedly left the Philippines for Malaysia on July 17 despite being subject to an immigration lookout bulletin.
Her siblings and Lucky South 99 POGO representative Cassandra Ong were also included in Bersamin’s passport cancellation request.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla has ordered a “thorough investigation” by the Bureau of Immigration and the National Bureau of Investigation regarding the dismissed mayor’s escape
On Tuesday afternoon, the Bureau of Immigration said that Guo was already in Indonesia.
Her lawyers, however, insisted that she is still in the country.
“We, as her counsel, have always relied on the assurances provided by our client that she is still in the Philippines. Thus, without further evidence to prove that she has indeed left the country, our reliance in good faith on the assurances by our client remains,” Stephen David, one of Guo’s lawyers, said in a statement sent to reporters on Tuesday.